Students in New York amass thousands of volunteers to grocery shop for the elderly and at-risk

By Rachel Mills

Liam Elkind, 20, a junior at Yale University and Simone Policano, 25, an actor, producer and Yale graduate, have come together in New York, heading to pharmacies and grocery stores to shop for the old and at-risk, according to AP News.

ABC reports that in just days, their new organization, Invisible Hands Deliver, has 2,700 volunteers.

Elkind and Policano launched a website where people can request medicine, food and supplies that will be shopped for and dropped off for free.

Grocery and pharmacy orders are placed on the Invisible Hands website. Shoppers must not have traveled out of the country for the virus’ 14-day incubation period, have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have come in contact with anybody who has tested positive, AP reports. 

Invisible Hands also offers phone calls of encouragement to people longing for social connections, according to ABC. 

"I think providing them with [that] in this really uncertain and scary time is important as well," Elkind said.