ABOUT US
Helpers for COVID-19 was originally created in order to help the elderly, immunocompromised, and homeless with getting essential goods during the peak of the pandemic. We primarily service the communities in New York City. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a wide range of issues that different groups within NY face, including the elderly, pediatric children with chronic conditions, and differently abled individuals. Some of our current projects include providing pediatric nursing home patients with donations of toys, providing entertainment and company to elderly in nursing homes, and helping differently abled individuals apply for jobs. Our organization pairs volunteers who are looking to help to different events we or our partners are hosting and/or individuals who are looking for help. Our new aim is to focus on helping specific populations in NYC that are too often overlooked.
We have started a GoFundMe that you may access here: http://gf.me/u/xzf3ds to relieve some of the financial burdens for our events or you can donate to our Venmo @helpersforcovid19
Pam Leybengrub
Founder
After getting sent home due to this pandemic, Pam Leybengrub, a premed student attending Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, wanted to get involved in helping those in need during this crisis. After having made several trips to her local grocery store to purchase food for her family, Pam kept noticing that a portion of the people in these stores were elderly. Pam was shocked at how many immunocompromised people have to constantly risk their health and safety to buy essential goods. She wanted to help mitigate the risks they were taking which is why she created this volunteer organization. Pam continued to see how the effects of the pandemic disproportionately impacted underserved communities, and therefore wanted to continue the work of the organization even as COVID-19 sickness rates went down. Pam recruits volunteers, actively speaks with community leaders to find more people that she and her volunteers can help, and plays a major role in connecting volunteers with those who need help.
Vian Shekhtman
Lead Organizer
Vian Shekhtman, an aspiring surgeon at Hunter College’s Macaulay Honors Program, wanted to help those in need during the current struggles. Vian saw firsthand how harshly the world was affected by the virus and decided to step in any way he could. Not having funds to assist directly, Vian decided it was smartest to help with safety management. He assisted Pam with setting the premise of Helpers for COVID19 and continues to recruit volunteers, work out delivery logistics, and deliver several times a week.
Julia Stolyar
Volunteer Codirector
Julia Stolyar is a Pre-Medical Student at Macaulay Honors College who saw first hand the difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 virus. Having two parents working as first responders, she heard about how much worse the situation was getting every day and knew she had to do something to help those who could not protect themselves. Working to recruit other volunteers and communicate with those who need help but can not access the internet, Julia helps connect volunteers with the elderly and immunocompromised individuals in their areas.
Jenny Li
Marketing Representative
Jenny Li is a neuroscience student at New York University Shanghai. After learning about the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on underprivileged communities all over the city and beyond, Jenny decided to join the team at Helpers for COVID-19 to expand the initiative and help individuals at increased risk for severe illness obtain essentials from the safety of their homes. As Marketing Representative, she hopes to persuade more people from all 5 NYC boroughs and beyond to volunteer and help protect vulnerable populations from the notoriously fatal effects of COVID-19.
Daniel Gelfand
Web Developer
Daniel Gelfand is a Computer Science student studying at Northeastern University. Knowing the detrimental affects of this pandemic on the livelihood of many, he aims to provide a seamless interface for people to request help and recieve it.
Masha Yepishkina
Treasurer
Masha Yepishkina is studying Quantitative Finance at Stevens Institute of Technology. Although she wishes all of this will be over soon, she is glad to help in the meantime. It is important to her that those most vulnerable in this crisis are well-protected. Masha is going to allocate and manage our funds to make sure we can help as many people as possible.
Shana Broitman
Volunteer Codirector
Shana Broitman is a pre-medical student at Northeastern University studying bioengineering. Witnessing the detrimental effects of coronavirus on her community, she wanted to help those who are most vulnerable during this time. She works alongside Julia Stolyar in recruiting volunteers and communicating with elderly and immunocompromised individuals in need of assistance.
Samuel Mordechaev
Community Outreach Representative
Samuel Mordechaev is a senior Pre-Medical student at CUNY Hunter College with a major in Human Biology and a minor in Chemistry. As a Brooklyn native, Samuel recognized how NYC’s health disparities would exacerbate the destructive effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on his community and sought to make a change. As Community Outreach Representative, Samuel recruits volunteers, coordinates outreach events, and establishes collaborations with other organizations.
Anton Danylenko
Web Developer
Anton Danylenko is a Computer Science student at Stevens Institute of Technology. He hopes to apply his area of study to the efforts of Helpers for COVID19 and assist them in making a positive impact on the community.
Language Ambassadors
Asad Nabi
Hindi
Andrew Kobrin
Russian
Justin Huang
Mandarin
Bryanna McGowan
Spanish
Musia Sominskaia
Hebrew