They’re asking other Gen Z’ers to step up and join their cause.
Kristen Burns – Apr. 07, 2020 03:11 PM EST
Now that schools are closed due to the COVID-19 crisis, and it’s looking like they’ll remain that way for the rest of the academic year, some students are spending their days parked in front of TVs or glued to their cell phone screens.
Others are using their time off to make a difference.
That includes Drew and Heather Paglia, who recently launched a GoFundMe to support first responders, local businesses and healthcare workers in their hometown of Millstone, NJ.
Siblings Drew and Heather Paglia are raising money to support business and first responders in their community. Drew Paglia/Facebook
The teen siblings are using the donations to buy gift cards from local businesses to give to “Heroes On The Front Lines,” or those who are working tirelessly to save lives in their community.
They’re also making sure that senior citizens in their area are taken care of since most of them are isolated and can’t go out since they’re at high risk of catching the virus.
Drew and Heather have been partnering with some of their favorite local restaurants to buy gift cards and food, and they’ve reached out to nearby health facilities to pass out the meals to those who need them.
Centrastate, the closest hospital to Millstone, even asked the teens for gift cards to give to their newly released patients so they wouldn’t need to leave their homes right away.
After they raised over $2,500 with a GoFundMe page, the hard-working duo decided to take their fundraiser to the next level. They started an online group called the ‘5Help Team’ to share ideas on how to help their neighbors and to recruit volunteers to help with food and gift card drop-offs.
The Paglias also recently launched a website, 5help.org, to help spread the word about their good deeds and to gather donations from other Gen Z’ers for their cause.
If you would like to support the effort:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-local-1st-responders-sen…