Methacton Grads' New Coronavirus App Links Volunteers To Elderly

EAGLEVILLE, PA — As the coronavirus outbreak continues in Pennsylvania, businesses, local governments, and everyday residents are finding innovative ways to save lives.

A shining example is a pair of Methacton High School graduates, Jeffrey Li and Debanik Purkayastha, who have created an app and website to link elderly and immunocompromised individuals to volunteers who want to help.

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The idea is simple: there are a lot of people who fall into the "high-risk" category, and there are also lot of people who want to do more to help, but don't know where to begin.

The Internet is filled with social media groups, comment sections, fundraisers, and more trying to do exactly that. But these efforts can easily become convoluted and disorganized. Often someone puts out a call for help for an elderly friend or family member in another state and receives an overwhelming response.

And while that reflects the degree to which Pennsylvanians and people around the country are coming together, it also reveals a missed opportunity.

So Li and Purkayastha, both computer science majors and current college seniors, put together Covaid.co, which went live on Monday, March 23.

"We are encouraged that COVAID will give people’s kindness and generosity a platform to make change," the pair said.

The site is straightforward and user friendly. Users simply type in their zip code and see a list of volunteers nearby and the services they are able to render, such as providing food, groceries, medication, donations, or miscellaneous goods.

Volunteers can also register through the "Want to help your community?" link at the top of the Covaid page.