UCF Students Form Organization to Work Together Against COVID-19

When the coronavirus hit Central Florida, Daniela Vulpe and Victoria Orindas saw that many charitable organizations had to slow down or stop due to health concerns. This meant that those who rely on the aide would be in greater need of support.

So Vulpe, a junior health sciences student, and Orindas, a junior biomedical student, decided to start Orlando Against Coronavirus, a local extension of a British organization called Students Against Coronavirus.

The purpose of the organization is to provide supplemental support to organizations and facilities impacted by social distancing guidelines in response to COVID-19. This includes senior-living facilities, schools, nonprofit organizations and others that serve the elderly, children and the homeless.

“It’s a very delicate situation right now with everything going on,” Vulpe says. “So we decided to be the ones to actually reach out and offer ourselves to help out.”

With a team of a dozen volunteers, Vulpe and Orindas have implemented several projects to help the community, such as creating and distributing masks, personalized cards, food packages for the homeless, book drives and online tutoring.

The group hopes to not only help neighbors in need, but also foster a sense of connection, to make sure everyone knows they are not alone.

The group hopes to not only help neighbors in need, but also foster a sense of connection, to make sure everyone knows they are not alone.

In the past month, Orlando Against Coronavirus has made and distributed more than 100 masks to Orlando Health and written more than 50 “stay-positive” cards for seniors in assisted living facilities.

“We feel good about taking the initiative to help out instead of binge-watching Netflix,” says Orindas.

Orindas and Vulpe hope to encourage fellow Knights and Central Florida residents to find ways to support communities that are most vulnerable. These communities appreciate the extra support during this time, Vulpe says.

“We are happy to support them during this quarantine time, it means so much to them, and to us too,” she says.