Touching Lives in a World Without Contact

“(My teammates) Gave me the confidence that this was something worth pursuing. They let me know that this was something that could happen and be seen through, so I decided to go at it full force.”

San Diego State University women’s soccer player Veronica Avalos could barely make out the words coming from the thin voice on other side of the window. Words of gratitude and relief, masked by fear, apprehension and quiet desperation.

Words that ordinarily would generate a compassionate response — assuming times were even remotely ordinary.

"For me, I'm someone who likes to give people a hug, to touch them and hold their hand, not communicate through a window where there's a barrier between us," Avalos said. "That was really difficult for me. I could barely hear her, but I could feel her love for what we'd done."

Teammate Abbie Rieder studied the list of those still to visit, comprised of the elderly, the infirmed and the immunocompromised, those whose world had been forever changed by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Weeks earlier, Rieder, a junior midfielder, had learned of a non-profit program in Chicago called "Leave It To Us," started by a University of Alabama student. The program provides groceries to seniors and others who are homebound due to the pandemic.

Rieder, a biology major, learned of the program from a friend from Los Angeles, who suggested she start a San Diego chapter. Rieder heeded the call, recruiting teammates Avalos, a senior forward, and senior midfielder/forward Malia Kaleiohi, to assist.

"Soccer was really taking up the majority of my time, probably close to 20 hours a week," Rieder said. "But without soccer, I just felt really compelled to do something, because time is a gift."

Rieder, who is doing a summer internship in pediatrics at Children's Healthcare Medical Associates in Hillcrest, already had  experience shopping for others, bringing groceries to the home of her older sister, Emily Thurston, a nurse practitioner whose husband also works in health care.

"I was talking to Abbie about how I didn't want to have to go to the grocery store, because I obviously don't want to expose our kids during COVID," said Thurston. "Our kids haven't been to a store since this all started. We go for walks, but we're obviously not going to take them around high-risk areas.

"Obviously, it takes a toll on you when you're at work, because you're worried about everyone having COVID. There's a lot of increased anxiety in every household, but I think it's even higher in households where you have health care workers. My husband is seeing COVID patients every day he goes to work, so he's definitely high risk. But we're both essential workers, so we don't have a choice but to go to work."

Others, of course, have little choice but to stay home, guarding their every move. Initially speaking to the founder of "Leave It To Us" before undertaking the task of recruiting volunteers, Rieder quickly discovered  her service was in high demand. And after a local television station’s coverage, the San Diego chapter of "Leave It To Us" took off.

"It was a bit of an effort on my part to get it off the ground, but I have to give it up to my teammates," said Rieder, who also has delivered groceries to the home of her brother, Joe Rieder, and his wife, reluctant to shop due to having a 1-year-old son.

"(My teammates) Gave me the confidence that this was something worth pursuing. They let me know that this was something that could happen and be seen through, so I decided to go at it full force."

Rieder reached out to pre-med organizations at SDSU and Cal State San Marcos for help, eventually growing to 50 volunteers.

Indeed, the program has expanded to include volunteers as distant as Oceanside, Chula Vista and El Cajon. Those wishing to utilize "Leave It To Us" are asked to send an e-mail to [email protected], supplying Rieder with information about what groceries they need and where they want them  purchased, along with their address and phone number. Rieder looks for an available volunteer from the same area. All of the groceries are delivered outside of an individual's home to avoid contact. The only fee is for cost of the groceries.
"Sometimes, I wish that social distancing could just be put on pause, but you have to do what's best for the greater good,” Rieder said. “And I'm more than happy to just talk, because I know that it can maybe help them have a brighter day."

And maybe come away a bit more informed. Rieder, who also volunteers at Palomar Hospital in Poway, has designs on becoming a pediatrician and plans on applying for medical school next year.

"It's all definitely taught me a lot about myself. I honestly didn't even realize that I had this kind of drive in me, and how rewarding it is to do this. I would much rather have the intrinsic reward of serving people who are in need than having any kind of monetary reward for doing it. It's also helped me to work on my communication and staying organized, keeping my volunteers up to speed and remembering to give recognition where recognition is due. I'm really thankful to our volunteers, because without them, none of these orders would ever get completed.”

The program also has caught the eye of donors, offering to cover gas and other costs. Rieder said she is now in position to pay a volunteer $5 per order, but that nearly all refuse compensation.

"I honestly didn't have much of an expectation when things first started," she said. "I just thought, 'Why not try it and see where it goes?' I definitely never expected it to get this big and become this well known in the community. I just feel privileged to be part of it.”