This week’s Hometown Heroes, presented by Hendrick Southpoint, are UNC first-year students and Morehead-Cain Scholars Andrea Cornel, Katy Waddell, and Molly Dorgan.
“Everyone got sent home and we weren’t really sure what to do with ourselves,” said Cornel. “So we came up with a way to provide COVID-19 relief to local homeless shelters.”
People experiencing homelessness are especially at risk for COVID-19 because they lack access to personal protective equipment (PPE) or good healthcare resources. Crowded shelters are also a major factor in the spread of the virus.
And so, the trio launched Heels for the Homeless — an initiative that has already developed several upcoming events to raise awareness and funds to provide PPE and other support to people experiencing homelessness. The first event is coming up later this month, a virtual 5k called the Great Mask Run.
“Basically you run a 5K on your own time, any time between October 26th and October 31st, you wear your spookiest mask, then you just have a lot of fun with that,” said Waddell.
While much of their work is centered in the Triangle, the trio of UNC students has also reached out and built connections with organizations elsewhere in North Carolina and beyond.
“Our main partner here is the Durham Rescue Mission,” said Waddell. “But we’re also working with students at Davidson College. And we also have connections in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We’re really trying to engage anyone in the UNC community, making sure everyone feels like they’re a part of something.”
To learn more about the initiative, visit heelsforthehomeless.com.
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