Abacoa & Alton Neighbors May 2020

28 Abacoa &Alton N E I G H B O R S | M a y 2 0 2 0 COMMUNITY NEWS As many of our neighbors and local businesses struggle with hardships and consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a few local residents have stepped up to support our community in new and creative ways. If you’re looking for a way to help your neighbor, consider supporting one of these causes. We are all in this together! Kids Need More Art Karen Nobel, owner of Kids Need More Art in Jupiter, believes all it takes is one little creative moment to make a difference. Like many small businesses she has had to temporarily close her doors because of the coronavirus outbreak, but decided to make a difference and be part of the solution. With her spring break camp canceled because of the coronavirus, she is using those unused camp T-shirts to make masks with the help of her friend and local seamstress Romi Ortega. Masks have been hard to come by and wearing them can go a long way to help slow the spread of COVID-19. “I had these masks, and I was looking at them thinking, I have a great seamstress Romi, and we can make these,” said Karen. “I think it’s so amazing that I get to do this,” adds Romi, who says she can make about 60 masks a day. “To help, and to bless people like this it’s amazing.” The first mask delivery was to pediatrician Dr. Phillip Colaizzo in Jupiter and since then she’s tried to reach everyone essential from UPS drivers, FedEx drivers, US Postal Service, and the elderly in supermarkets. Karen continues to drop off hand sewn masks to local doctors and nurses fighting the fight for our community including St Mary’s Pediatric units, JMC nurses, nursing homes, individual nurses, and individual doctor offices. “I think the thing that’s important is that even if you couldn’t sew, there was so much you could do to help. Wash, cut, run, donate. That’s the bigger message in all of this. I read a quote: Action over Angst. And it’s true. Helping has made all the difference, and that’s what I will remember about this crisis, and so will my daughter.” Karen believes her job was just as much of a supporting role and one of spreading awareness as much as it was actually creating the masks. She continues to spread awareness, donate, and help facilitate donations. Kids Need More Art is a teacher-created, advocacy-based children’s art studio offering classes, camps, programs, and more. The programs are taught by Palm Beach County certified art teachers who are not only passionate about what they do, but are true advocates for the Visual Arts in our schools. For more information visit kidsneedmoreart.com . Farm to Family: Helping Hungry Families and Farmers During Coronavirus Crisis Photos by Rory Mackay In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, schools, after school programs and farmers’ markets are closed in Palm Beach County. Children who depend on food assistance programs are going without, while local farmers have crops waiting to be harvested. During this challenge, Fresh RX Kids and Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County created the Farm to Family program to help families and farmers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. To date, more than 4,000 children and families from Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County have received a week’s supply of farm-fresh produce, dry-goods and other household necessities through this new program. “I am so thankful to be working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County,” said Margaret Duriez, Locals Helping Locals Submitted By Jill Kohlbecker