Boomer Buddies

Background

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My name is Addie and I am a 7th grader at Joaquin Mo​raga middle school in Moraga. I wanted to do something to help people so I came up with the idea of providing friendship and socialization to seniors who might be lonely. Many seniors don't have electronics or don't know how to use them to communicate with their friends and family. There is a feeling of disconnect and loneliness. 

My grandfather's name is Buddy. His generation is called the Baby Boomers. So I decided to play on words and came up with the name Boomer Buddies the nonprofit organization that will have young people provide friendship to older people. So this all started with an idea and the will to help others.

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Why now? 

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Given the COVID pandemic, I know now seems like the wrong time to start this, but to me, I think it is a perfect time. The seniors that did get together with their friends, or volunteer or participate in activities can't do that now. This makes them even more lonely.  A significant amount of people are suffering from depression much of which is caused by loneliness and anxiety. Some have participated in zoom calls but most don’t know how to operate it. Even if they could zoom together it is not the same as in-person talking. When I am on a zoom call I feel sad because I remember what it was like to talk in person.

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The Plan

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My goal is to find seniors that would benefit from personal connections with the youth. I also hope to find other middle school/high school students who want to give back to seniors in their community. Once people sign up to be a buddy they will provide in-person companionship to a senior. All social interaction will be outdoors 6 feet apart with masks until the coronavirus risk is over. As this organization and I grow I intend to help as many people as I can to make the world a better place.

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