WHRHS Student Creates the Buddy-Up Program
Anmol Bhatia, a Watchung Hills Regional High School junior, created the Buddy-Up Program at Abingdon Care & Rehabilitation Center in Green Brook to help give lonely residents someone to chat with.
Anmol has always been passionate about helping the most needed in healthcare. While volunteering in the activities department last summer at Abington, he realized that most activities were canceled due to Covid, and many residents were very lonely and had few visitors. Bhatia created the Buddy-Up Program to keep lonely residents company by having them chat with community volunteers online.
Anmol’s goal of connecting students to residents was a huge success. Community members and students offered to chat with the lonely residents on 30 minuet Zoom calls through iPads provided by the center. “It makes you feel good to help someone else in your community, ” says Bhatia, who has raised funds to purchase more iPads. “We’ve had fifty-five volunteers sign up, and nothing but positive reviews from the residents.”
Bhatia recently collected funds to purchase three new iPads for the program but is always looking for more volunteers and donations. To sign up as a volunteer, send an email to buddyupprogram@gmail.com, or you can donate funds to purchase more iPads, at https://gofund.me/df476cc5.
Courtesy photos
