When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

This statement can be seen in full swing within the past couple of months. With all of the uncertainty going on in the world, things can get pretty tough. But it’s in these times that people banding together to uplift one another matters the most.

Fortunately, there are still people just like this who exist in the world. Even more surprising and promising is that there are many young people stepping up to the calling. What makes their acts so surprising is that they often get a bad rep.

However, two young men, sophomores, Matthew Casertano and Dhruv Pai, from Silver Spring, Maryland, are working to change that reputation. Sure, teens can do some pretty questionable things but they’re also human and still learning.

Still, there’s no disputing that what these two young men are doing is quite admirable. With all the panic and uncertainty that has come with the arrival of COVID-19, they decided to step up and offer their services to the most vulnerable group affected by the pandemic — the elderly.

Casertano and Pai partnered up and volunteered to do the shopping for the older residents in their neighborhood as they are unable to leave the house due to their increased risk of succumbing to the deadly virus.

Pai shared that he started offering his services after discovering that his grandparents were afraid to leave their house to buy groceries and other necessities for their home. He realized that in addition to them, there were others who felt the same way.

Casertano stated that his situation was similar to Pai’s, who happened to be his friend. After putting their heads together, they decided to work with each other and started “Teens Helping Seniors.”

One of their clients, 73-year-old, Jimmy Kraft, has taken advantage of their services. Kraft, who is sheltered in place while caring for his severely handicapped grandchild, benefits greatly from the organization.

“This was tremendously helpful. It truly is so amazing that teenagers would spend their time helping one of the most vulnerable populations. I am very grateful for their help and hope that more kids will join them in their efforts,” he said.

In addition to shopping for the elderly, the teens also make sure to follow the guidelines given by the CDC to reduce the spread of the virus.

They practice social distancing in the stores and wear gloves when shopping. When they deliver the groceries, they wipe down the bags and offer curbside pickup when available.

However, if curbside pickup is not an option, they simply leave the groceries on the doorstep instead. Clearly, these kids are dedicated to caring for their elders.

But they are not alone. Their project has become so popular, aside from recruiting other high school students in and around their area, college students are now getting involved.

“It’s gone from extremely casual to extremely operational very quickly,” says Casertano.

What an inspiring story of young people going above and beyond to help those in need!

If you know of anyone who could use their services and are in the area, just email [email protected]

To hear their story, you can watch their interview with MY MC Media below!

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Sources: Good News Network, Parenting Isn’t Easy