In Kirkwood, Atlantans launch ‘adopt a senior’ program to help neighbors

As the coronavirus renders residents homebound, some neighbors are finding ways to look out for the “most vulnerable.”

In Atlanta’s Kirkwood neighborhood, that means a new effort to connect residents with their elderly neighbors who may need some extra help right now.

The “adopt a senior” program aims to match households in Kirkwood with seniors in the community who may be feeling even more isolated than usual right now.

“Despite the social distancing we need to have a sense of social solidarity,” Kirkwood resident Brittany Eddy said.

Eddy, who helped launch the effort, has lived in Kirkwood for three years. But before that, she lived in Haiti and the Virgin Islands following natural disasters.

From first-hand experience, Eddy knew it is often the most vulnerable who get left behind during a time of crisis.

» COMPLETE COVERAGE: Coronavirus in Georgia

To identify seniors in the area who may be in need, Eddy teamed up with Kirkwood Cares, a committee of the Kirkwood Neighbors Organization that helps longtime residents facing displacement.

When they started making calls, Eddy said older residents were grateful to be offered a helping hand in trying times.

So far, the network of neighborhood helpers have made two rounds of deliveries to seniors stuck indoors, said Eddy, who is a nurse practitioner at Grady Health System .

Through the “adopt a senior” program, community members less vulnerable to the virus can make trips to the grocery store and pharmacy to help pick up essential supplies.

“It’s great to see people come together and think more about each other and provide support in whatever way that may be,” she said.

Eddy said they've had a long list of volunteers sign up so far.

Soon, they hope to have volunteers paired with a specific senior in the neighborhood, who they can check in on at least once a week — even if it’s just the social interaction of a phone call.

“We’ve seen in the couple rounds we’ve done how meaningful it is to the seniors in the community,” Eddy said. “Hopefully we can serve as their lifeline.”

While the effort is in response to the current health crisis, Eddy said she hopes the sense of community and network of neighborly help will continue long after the pandemic passes.

In neighboring communities, similar efforts are also underway. Neighbor in Need, which has done work on the east side since the early 2000s, has expanded "services to include grocery, supplies and meal delivery for our most vulnerable neighbors," according to a Facebook post.

Eddy said the volunteers in Kirkwood are coordinating with the other efforts in surrounding areas so they are going about things in a “thoughtful and sustainable” way.

Although the “adopt a senior” project started as a grassroots effort among neighbors, Kirkwood Neighbors Organization will also help coordinate it and accept donations, Eddy said.