Twins Serena and Simran Dhupar had been volunteering at the Promenade, a senior facility in Chestnut Ridge, New York, for about two years when the coronavirus pandemic suddenly forced them to stop.
The Upper Saddle River sisters wanted to do something easy and affordable to help the seniors they missed, because the residents were prevented from seeing not just volunteers, but family members as well.
“Many of the senior citizens are very lonely and they don’t get to see their families a lot, so we couldn’t even imagine, during this time, that they obviously can’t get to see their families because it’s not safe,” Serena, 15, told NJ Advance Media.
“We felt horrible for the people we see every single day because they’re not just the people we care for, they’re our friends as well and we just felt bad for not seeing them,” Simran, 15, said.
So the Dhupar sisters decided to organize a local card drive for the elderly, as part of their work for the past two months as ambassadors for the nonprofit organization, Love for the Elderly. As of Thursday afternoon, they had collected more than 400 cards.
As freshmen at Northern Highlands Regional High School, the sisters initiated the drive at their school, but they’ve also received support from local families and community groups, like the Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops.
Principal Joseph Occhino praised the students’ initiative, and helped spread the word by sending the flyer out to all students at the high school, and posting it on the school’s learning management system.
“Serena and Simran and two students who are truly committed to helping others and in this case the elderly,” he said. “Their work as ambassadors at Love for the Elderly and the volunteer work they do at a senior citizen facility allow those they are affiliated with to feel connected, special, and worthy.”
Serena and Simran are collecting cards until June 12, but they can extend the deadline, they said. There is a drop-off box at their high school for people to deposit their cards, they said.
They plan to mail the cards themselves, but people can also directly mail the cards to Love for the Elderly, which includes an address on its website.
The cards must be handwritten, exclude the date or religious references, be kind and thoughtful, and be enclosed in an envelope, according to Love for the Elderly’s guidelines.