Volunteers delivery last of supplies to seniors

PALMER — As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across Alaska, so do the good deeds of Valley residents helping one another.

Imran Chaudhry started the ‘Seniors of the Mat-Su Valley Support Group’ on Facebook that helped spark a meeting on March 17 between Chaudhry, Palmer Mayor Edna DeVries, Mat-Su Borough Emergency Manager Casey Cook, Mat-Su Senior Services CEO Elaine Phillips and Santa Cops and Heroes director Donna Anthony.

“It feels absolutely amazing. I did not think that a small Facebook group page would grow to things like this,” said Chaudhry.

On Monday, Chaudhry and a small group of volunteers delivered the last of the boxes of two weeks worth of food that were distributed out to over 400 seniors in the Mat-Su Valley over the last two weeks.

One day after the meeting, Santa Cops and Heroes applied for and received a $50,000 grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation. On March 30, the first 203 boxes were delivered out to seniors. Chaudhry helped secure the sponsorship of Carrs who supplied the groceries. Volunteers were filtered through Santa Cops and Heroes as a catalyst for people to help seniors, the most vulnerable population to infection of coronavirus. Anthony helped coordinate with over 400 seniors who requested food, and also allowed an opportunity to check if senior citizens around the Valley were in need of medications or other supplies.

“I just feel absolutely amazing. These seniors have no other means of getting grocery items in a safe manner,” said Chaudhry. “It prevented them from putting himself in a situation of dire straits.”

Volunteers cleanly and safely assembled the boxes of supplies at the Mat-Su Seniors Services Building and at Wasilla Area Seniors Inc., and delivered two week supplies of food on March 30, April 8 and April 13 to over 400 seniors in need during the global pandemic. Chaudhry said that many seniors he spoke with became emotional at the outpouring of support from the community, and that the next step for the group is to seek more funding. Chaudhry’s goal along with Anthony and the many volunteers that came together to work to protect the most vulnerable population is to be able to provide these resources throughout the duration of the pandemic.

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