Cherry Hill Woman Helps 200 Seniors Get COVID Vaccine Appointment

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Lindsay Cunningham wasn’t going to just sit back while her family members struggled to get an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Instead, the Cherry Hill woman sprang into action, helping her family and friends navigate the scheduling systems and get their appointments. It didn’t end there, though.

Soon, the stay-at-home mother of two daughters found herself working with hundreds of seniors who began reaching out to her for help.

“It just became word-of-mouth, people kept calling and asking if I could help them,” Cunningham said in a release issued by Cherry Hill Township officials, who honored her at a council meeting Monday night.

Soon, she was training her neighbors on all the tricks she’d picked up on along the way. The work fit well within Cunningham’s expertise, as she holds a master’s degree in public health from George Washington University and has worked on immunization programs for both the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control and the State of North Carolina.

And now, she and her small vaccine scheduling network have secured more than 200 appointments with those who were otherwise struggling.

“I am so impressed by Lindsay’s kindness, selflessness and generosity,” Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo said. “She stepped up for her community and went above and beyond to help keep our seniors safe and healthy. She has been a lifesaver – literally and figuratively – for so many.”

“Throughout this incredibly dark and difficult year, stories like Lindsay’s have lit the way, and showed us what it truly means to be a caring, compassionate neighbor and take action in a time of need,” Cherry Hill Council President David Fleisher said. “On behalf of the Township Council, we are proud to honor her and her efforts.”

Cunningham’s neighbor Nancy Sipera described her as a “silent hero” in the township. It’s a title Cunningham brushes off, only saying usually likes to “fly under the radar” and she has just been trying to focus on positivity and help out after such a stressful year for so many.

“It’s been a great thing, just something positive that I can focus on and help people during this time,” Cunningham said after receiving the proclamation virtually at Monday night’s meeting. “I think we can get caught up in all the negativity and frustration, it’s been such a tough year. [I also] wanted to set a good example for my daughters that it’s good to step up and help people.”

Even the proclamation was probably too much for Cunningham, who said the only thing she asks for in return is for the people she helps to “pay it forward,” whether that’s by passing her number along to another person in need or giving someone a ride to an appointment.