Coronavirus Stonington Update: SHARE Volunteers Are Ready To Roll

STONINGTON, CT — Peter Perenyi said the idea was borne out of a need to be helpful.

"Everybody feels the frustration. And a lot of people want to help and will volunteer. We're all stay-at-home, like most others, and feeling a little helpless because we want to be helpful," the retired diplomat from Stonington said.

Inspired to do something, and finding a model from Oakland, California to use as a jumping off point, Perenyi gathered a group of "very talented" local folks. Before getting things off the ground, local and state officials were contacted —First Selectman Danielle Chesebrough and Rep. Kate Rotella (D-43rd District, North Stonington, Stonington) — so no wires would cross and the two "encouraged and gave impetus to our efforts."

Perenyi, an arms control expert, was joined by Stonington, North Stonington, Mystic and Pawcatuck residents Jason Hine, a former Mystic Seaport researcher and interpreter and Discovering Amistad second mate and educator, Maria Petrillo, an economic and policy analyst and former longtime Mystic Seaport Museum educator, Penny Duckham, a non-profit executive working from her Stonington home running health journalism programs for a national health policy philanthropy, Chris Johnson, a IT Systems Analyst at A/Z Corporation in North Stonington and longtime community volunteer, Lyndsey Pyrke-Fairchild, a financial analyst for the 85th Day Food Community, also a longtime community volunteer, Sharon Lynch, science education researcher and retired professor from George Washington University who works part-time as a Program Officer for the National Science Foundation in the Directorate for Education and Human Services, and Eugene Pfeifer, a technical markets manager, Stonington Town Constable and local and international volunteer.

Perenyi said he was "struck by the many talented people we have in our community."

After just a couple of weeks, this team created Stonington Helps Area Residents In Emergency, or SHARE. The effort supports residents in Stonington, North Stonington and all of Mystic to help them to shelter at home during this unprecedented pandemic.

'If you're staying home, you're staying safe.'

By staying home, those most at risk will actively help the community, by reducing crowding in public places and lowering the risk of stressing limited hospital facilities that high risk individuals are more likely to need.

So SHARE matches healthy, low-risk adult volunteers under 60 with older adults or individuals with high risk factors. The volunteer runs errands including picking up groceries, pet supplies or take-out, and doing regular check-ins by phone or electronically. The volunteers will typically live in the same neighborhood or area as the person they’re matched with.

New London County to date has avoided high rates of infection and that has been helped in part by active preventive measures including stay-at-home and social distancing.

Perenyi cited an April 23 New York Times article that found that Norwich/New London County was then “second in the nation in terms of highest average daily growth in the rate of deaths, with 24 deaths in 2.5 days, a 30% increase.”

“There is no reason for complacency,” Perenyi says pointing to data that suggests “cases in New London County will grow rapidly over the next three weeks, with a likely peak around May 20, continuing through early July.”

“I’m afraid that some older people who are physically strong and fit won’t ask for help,” he said. “If you stay home, you say safe.”

And that's the reason for SHARE.

Rotella said, “It’s great to have a group of residents supporting their neighbors in need during this time.”

How SHARE works

The shopping and delivery service is free but recipients pay the cost of their purchases. People who may have difficulty paying may consider contacting Stonington Human Services for help. Volunteers keep a strict accounting. Payment arrangements are up to the participants but using payment websites and apps like PayPal, Venmo, or Apple Pay is recommended or, if both agree, check or cash may be used. The goal is to reduce potential exposure as much as possible, so once matches agree on a schedule, they should also choose a safe drop off space, such as a front porch or other agreed upon location.

Before signing up, volunteers and recipients must agree to observe strict health precautions, wearing face masks and gloves and maintaining social distancing practices. Learn more about those protocols here.

Volunteer drivers are ready to roll

In addition to grocery and other deliveries, SHARE volunteers have already made and delivered hundreds of hand sewn face masks, donated to local nursing homes and assisted living centers in Mystic, and to other groups in the community.

Homemade non-medical masks are in high demand and for those who are able to donate hand-sewn masks, SHARE is distributing them to local front-line workers at nursing homes, assisted living centers, and other facilities. Hand-sewn masks may be dropped off in the bin outside the front door at Town Hall, Elm Street, Stonington, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Volunteers, and especially people in a high-risk group, are actively encouraged to visit the SHARE website here to sign up, or you can email stoningtonhelps@gmail.com or for call 1-800-827-4158.