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Corona Connects: 'A Global Pandemic calls for a Global Reaction'

Posted at 11:43 PM, Jul 02, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-02 23:45:41-04

FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Aish Balaji, 19, did not expect to be finishing out her sophomore year at the University of Pennsylvania while inside her house in Frankfort, but like so many of us, the pandemic had upended her plans.

But what could have been an excuse to lounge around the house morphed into an opportunity to help people who needed it the most.

"My parents met a lot of the check boxes for high-risk candidates," Balaji said, speaking via Zoom from her home. "So I thought it was most responsible that I stay at home during this time and help in other ways remotely."

Balaji discovered Corona Connects, a non-profit organization founded by a group of college students. Its goal is to link people with volunteer organizations.

"We try to find people like this that are looking for volunteers and give them a voice," Balaji said.

In her role as regional coordinator for Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, Balaji has reached out to 50 to 100 organizations in each state, asking them about the help they need.

When people go to the website's home page, they're greeted by this message: "Matching volunteers to opportunities in just 60 seconds, because a global pandemic calls for a global reaction."

People who are interested in volunteering can search for a myriad of opportunities and filter by preferences, including your state, preferred time commitment, and whether you want to volunteer in-person or remotely.

If you are interested in volunteering, you can visit the website at CoronaConnects.org.