TATNALL STUDENTS GIVE BACK THROUGH
“Pandemic of Love”
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1. Jack, Matt, and Jeff deliver wrapped donations. 2. Conrad ’23, Heather, and Evan ’22 Cox 3. Conrad Cox delivers donations to Howard High School.
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ecognizing the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, six friends took the opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade— working together to help community members in need.
students Max Moen and Kendall Massey, through weekly Zoom meetings to start the Delaware Chapter of POL, a mutual-aid organization that matches recipients in need with donors who want to help.
According to Tatnall student Hannah Morgan ’23, the effort was inspired by a news report that Heather Cox, mother of fellow classmates Evan Cox ’22 and Conrad Cox ’23, had seen.
With guidance from their parents, the six teens created the chapter from the ground up. In the process, they learned about non-profit organizations, setting meeting agendas, building a website, creating social media accounts, doing marketing, branding, and networking, and managing the projects they created. All the while, keeping their focus on giving back to their community.
“When Ms. Cox saw an interview with the founder of Pandemic of Love (POL), she thought it would be a good idea to start a local chapter,” says Hannah, who was part of the POL Delaware organizational and development team. “She presented the idea to us, and we liked it. Several of us had family and friends directly affected by COVID. We weren’t able to volunteer outside our homes at the time due to restrictions, so this was a good way to get involved.” First launched in Florida, POL is a grassroots, volunteer-led organization that helps people affected by income loss during the pandemic. As time went on, POL’s mission expanded as chapters were formed and different needs were identified within communities around the country. In October 2020, Hannah, Evan, and Conrad came together with classmate Graham Nourie ’23 and Tatnall-affiliated Evan Cox ’22 24 :: TATNALL TODAY :: SUMMER 2021
“I found it very fulfilling to be involved,” says Graham, who created the website and Instagram account for POL DE. “It was a great way to help others while working together with my friends and their families. We also got good experience running an organization, which is something we can use as we get older.” “It was good to see friends I hadn’t seen in a while and do something to help our community,” says Conrad, who helped organize and match donors and recipients. “Now I have a better idea what it’s like to start something from nothing.” Since its inception, POL DE has provided relief to those in need in a variety of ways, such as providing financial relief to
