Long Island college students offer to run errands for those with coronavirus concerns
Hofstra University students Jayne Guarino, 25, and Thomas Jannace, 24, offer to run errands free of charge for those who feel they're at risk during the coronavirus outbreak. Credit: Julia DiPalma
Nearly 50 people from throughout Long Island have signed up to help two Hofstra University law students seeking volunteers to run errands for seniors reluctant to leave their homes during the coronavirus pandemic.
The free service was started on March 12 by Jayne Guarino, 25, of Farmingdale and Thomas Jannace, 24, of Huntington, who said they wanted to do what they could to help these older people and were looking for help in other local areas. Within a few days, after originally posting on a Farmingdale Facebook group, Guarino said they had volunteers from such Long Island communities as Amityville, Bridgehampton, Commack, Smithtown, Glen Cove, Bayville, as well as Brooklyn — “all over the place,” and the two have since started a new Facebook page, facebook.com/operationinfinityLI, under the new name, “Operation Infinity.”
“We chose the name with ‘infinity,’ for an infinite chain of help,” Guarino said in a telephone interview Wednesday. And she said the chain turned out to have pull both ways. A Melville woman she helped with shopping is donating protective gloves to the group in appreciation for their services.
So far, Guarino said that only three Long Island seniors have asked for assistance, but she expects more to come forward in the days ahead.
“A person [from Farmingdale] called this morning and they’re going to call back on Friday with their grocery list,” Guarino said, and added a social service coordinator “from I believe Smithtown” contacted her about possibly helping low-income seniors there. Guarino said the people Operation Infinity has helped so far have declined to be interviewed by the media.
Guarino said “Operation Infinity” will continue to be in operation for long as it is feasible under the evolving guidelines for dealing with the virus situation, and she has drafted rules for volunteers that includes staying a safe distance from the senior they’re helping and delivering any items they purchase to the person’s front door.
Similar free efforts are underway among students in other parts of the country, including a group called the “Shopping Angels” started by a student from the University of Nevada, Reno.
“I’m really happy with all the volunteers reaching out,” Guarino said.
Anyone seeking the services of Operation Infinity or who would like to become a volunteer can contact Guarino at jayne.guarino128@gmail.com.
