BUFFALO, N.Y. — In times of crisis, some people respond by stepping up to help others. In just five short weeks, one Hamburg woman has mobilized dozens of volunteers to provide food and basic necessities to more than seventy families in her community.
Nicole Dayka realized pretty early on in the coronavirus pandemic that people were out of work and were going to need help to get by. So the same week that schools closed in March, she launched the movement #FeedHamburg.
Nicole now spends her days making sure hot meals from local restaurants get dropped off at people's houses, as well as collecting non-perishable items and household supplies to give to families.
Most of the people Feed Hamburg is helping are referrals from the local school districts or churches. As Nicole connects with more of them, she's realizing that it's not just the food and supplies that they're thankful for.
"Families call and they want to talk," she told 2 On Your Side. "I think loneliness is a big part of it, that social emotional need. Having someone to talk to. They call because they might need milk and eggs, but it really turns out that they need someone to talk to too, or someone to listen."
If you'd like to help Feed Hamburg with a monetary donation, non-perishable items or supplies such as diapers and dog food, you can learn how to by clicking here.