Starting in early April, the Smithtown High School West football team decided to take action and partner with its neighboring football teams to support frontline workers in hospitals. The Football Feeds Front Liners program was designed to do just that, while also supporting local restaurants which may be struggling during this time. 

In response to the COVID-19 crisis and the effect it is having on communities, the football team partnered with Sojak Events, a local production company, to organize the movement. The program brings meals to those who are putting their own lives on the line each day to help local families stay healthy and protected. 

“We kicked this off by donating 40 meals to St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown on April 8, and we are challenging other local Long Island high school football teams and their coaches to give whatever they can,” said Smithtown High School West football coach Ron Muscarella. 

“We know that this is a difficult time for everyone but if the teams are in a position to give even a small amount, it will help provide a catered meal or snack drop to our local front liners. Our goal is two-fold; provide some comfort through food for those who can’t stay home, while using local restaurants who are also struggling economically,” he added. “We are looking for the next teams to provide for Mather and Saint Charles hospitals and will continue to provide comfort and hope with each donation to various hospitals on Long Island for those on the front lines.”

So far, the program has provided more than 200 meals, most recently delivering 50 meals to Long Island Community Hospital with food from Rudi’s Bar and Grill. Teams can choose one of two options to donate. For $100, they can feed 10 front liners (a small hospital unit) breakfast or lunch or for a $150 donation, they can feed 25 people (a large unit) breakfast or lunch. Many of the donations are coming from money already raised by the football teams, through booster clubs and prior fundraising events. The goal is to challenge another team to do the same, using different social media platforms. 

“Football has always been a sport that gathers fans in large cheering crowds, excited to see their favorite players and teams,” Muscarella said. “As sports teams across the country are on pause from playing the games they love, what better way to show our sportsmanship and passion for the game than giving back to the ‘teams’ that need it most right now.”

Photo captions: Smithtown High School West football coach Ron Muscarella recently delivered 50 meals from Rudi’s Bar and Grill to Long Island Community Hospital as part of his Football Feeds Front Liners movement. 

Photos courtesy of Smithtown Central School District

Denton Avenue students joined virtually to create cards and letters of support for senior citizens in a local nursing home during this shelter in place. With nursing homes not allowing visitors in order to protect senior citizens from possible COVID-19 exposure, many of the elderly have been left feeling extremely isolated and alone.

A parent that works in a nursing home, Mrs. Mathews, contacted her son’s fifth grade teacher, Sharon Judge, describing how isolated these elderly patients were feeling at the Sunharbor Manor in Roslyn Heights. They are in need of cheering up!

The Denton Avenue Principal Loren Borgese united teachers and students to create a virtual card writing campaign. Denton Student Council Club supervisor Daria Roulett, reached out to the student council members to spread the word. Librarian Donna Deodato created the virtual assignment to make cards, write jokes and draw pictures. 

“Due to our circumstances, Denton students had transitioned to remote e-learning, and this was a wonderful way to interact together and make a difference,” said Mrs. Deodato. 

Students always rise to the challenge. They created heartfelt cards, pictures, jokes and riddles to send cheer. A local printer, Inkredible Ink, printed all notes of encouragement wearing gloves and masks. These colorful cards were delivered to cheer up residents of Sunharbor Manor.

Katie Corcoran, a fourth grade student from Kramer Lane Elementary School in the Bethpage School District, has been sewing buttons onto headbands for health care workers, which helps to alleviate the pressure of wearing masks.

When Katie heard that health care workers were in pain due to their masks, she was wanted to help. “Making the headbands makes me feel happy because it’s helping people feel more comfortable,” Katie said. “They’re working so hard trying to make all the sick people better and they shouldn’t be in pain.”

Katie raised funds for materials and has since donated 200 headbands to health care workers in more than a dozen hospitals on Long Island. 

Photo caption: Katie Corcoran, a fourth grade student from Kramer Lane Elementary School in the Bethpage School District, has been sewing buttons onto headbands for health care workers, which helps to alleviate the pressure of wearing masks.

Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

North High School senior Shannon Morgan coordinated an inspiring campaign called #istayhomefor, emphasizing the importance of being safe and taking appropriate social distancing measures during this time. Many students and staff members participated by submitting photos of themselves with signs that support the well-known effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Shannon collected and compiled the pictures to create a moving video.

“My inspiration mainly came from wanting a way to keep the North community united during this time of extreme uncertainty,” Shannon said. “A pandemic like this uproots the entire routine that faculty, staff and students have of coming to school, hosting extra help, attending extracurricular activities, going to sporting events, etc. I wanted to create a project that allowed both students and North’s staff to see that no one is in this alone because we are still one big North family.” 

The #istayhomefor initiative brought a sense of connection throughout the school population and reassured them that teachers, classmates and colleagues are here to support each despite being apart. As Shannon noted, it demonstrated the amazing things that a school community is capable of when coming together, even from afar. The video, as well as uplifting compilations from the district’s other schools, can be accessed at www.vschsd.org. 

Photo Captions:

Shannon Morgan: North High School senior Shannon Morgan coordinated an #istayhomefor campaign that brings unity and encourages safety. 

Casey Wells: North High School senior Casey Wells, organizer of the Spartan Mini Thon event, shows her support. 

Sumaiya Ramsaroop: Junior Sumaiya Ramsaroop shares important reasons to stay home during the pandemic. 

Photos courtesy of Valley Stream Central High School District

East-Northport Middle School student, Kiersten Gorman, may not be able to complete her coursework in Home and Careers while schools are closed, but she is making a difference in the lives of the community.
After hearing about the shortage of medical supplies on the news, Kiersten decided to sell homemade masks to those in need. She regularly takes sewing classes, which were canceled due to the pandemic, but said that she wanted to give back in any way that she could. 

“I thought it would be wonderful to be able to make masks for friends, family and anyone in need within the community,” she said. “I know these masks might not help the staff on the front lines but they can help my grandparents, my friends and anyone needing protection when going out.”

Kiersten, as an animal lover, has also decided to donate half of the proceeds to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to help stop the abuse of animals. “I chose this charity because I love animals and I hate to see animals being treated poorly,” she said.
Kiersten’s mother, Laura Gorman, said that her daughter “missed being in the classroom so much, but at least she is still learning life’s important lessons and that is to help the community and always give back.”

Photo captions: East-Northport Middle School student Kiersten Gorman recently began sewing masks to sell to community members. Half of the proceeds will be donated to the ASPCA.