New York
Jordan Knispel - President, New York Division
"In early 2020, when Covid-19 forced a nationwide quarantine, I was saddened to hear that nursing home residents would be isolated from family and friends. Living in a nursing home can be lonely and depressing and many residents rely on in-person visits to keep their spirits up. I used to visit my grandmother in her nursing home several times a week and she was always so happy to have someone to talk to. I was eager to establish this program in New York to help provide support and comfort to senior citizens during this extremely difficult time. Through grass roots efforts and social media outreach I was able to recruit over 100 students to participate and signed up 3 elder care facilities, with over 500 residents happy to become penpals. As of today, Pals For Life is still active and growing and I am honored to be a part of it."