Mansfield residents are delivering care packages for University of Connecticut students quarantined in the Oaks apartments on Tuesday.
Heather Evans, Mansfield resident, posted a call to action on the Mansfield Connecticut Connection Facebook group proposing the local community put together care packages for students in quarantine.
“I believe in strong communities, with neighbors helping each other,”
“I’m concerned for the students who are now feeling ‘marked’ because they may be contagious,” Evans’ Facebook post said. “What if we all got together to make care packages for them? Maybe we can get boxes donated, and we can donate snacks, drinks, etc.”
Evans, a healthcare provider, said students need to take care of their health while keeping others safe.
“I believe in strong communities, with neighbors helping each other,” Evans said. “I love living in Mansfield because the people are so wonderful. We must remember that students are part of our community.”
Evans said the care packages are a message to students that Mansfield cares.
“We’re asking them to care about us, and as a community we need to show that we care about them too,” Evans said. “We’re trying to mobilize as a community to put together about 600 care packages for the students who live in the Oaks. That is a hefty goal but we are a strong community.”
Dozens of Mansfield residents have donated to the initiative in the form of snacks and money.
“In just twenty-four hours we have had forty five people in our community stepping up to make our student neighbors feel our support,” Evans said. “Some of them are going to help us put the care packages together, others are dropping off snacks, drinks and items for the care packages. Some have donated money and asked us to do the shopping for them.”
Residents are teaming up to put the care packages together in a timely manner.
“One friend is going to the store with over one thousand dollars worth of snacks and special items for the care packages,” Evans said. “Another friend is allowing us to put the packages together at her house, outside with masks on and socially distant of course.”
Evans said the donations show what an amazing community the town of Mansfield is.
“Even Gregg Haddad, the elected representative for our town, has also donated to this effort,” Evans said. “This really is a community effort, I love this town and students are part of our community.”
[…] downtown were put into quarantine after Covid-19 outbreaks within the apartment complex, Haddad contributed to an effort by Mansfield residents to collect items for care packages for […]