Neighbors helping neighbors: How one Raleigh community is coming together amid COVID-19
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- In the interest of transparency, I'll say up front here that Harrington Grove is my own neighborhood and has been for the past 15 years.
The biggest reason we've stayed? The genuine sense of community. Harrington Grove's early response to the coronavirus situation is further proof of that.
Katrina Higham is hobbled a bit in a walking boot but isn't about to let some stress fractures hold her back.
With neighbors and kids in need, there's work to be done.
"I just think, you know, in times of need it really shows people's true colors and your true character and for me, you know, it helps me take care of myself when I'm trying to take care of others", said Higham.
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Katrina's called the Harrington Grove neighborhood, off 540 and Leesville Road, home for five years now and almost from the jump, it just felt different.
"Just a sense of of neighborhood and community. You know everyone proactively reaching out to their neighbors, you know, in a time of need, whether it's bad weather or illness."
One of two founding members, along with Kimberly Jeddy, of the neighborhood Facebook page "HG Cares," Higham's mission now is coordinating donations for Backpack Buddies, the program that provides free breakfast and lunch for kids at school.
School may be out but the need is still there.
"We can't keep up with the response. I asked one day if we could have some donations in the neighborhood and we literally had to have two or three extra people doing car loads to the school because there was just, it was just too much, you know, for me to respond to on my own."
Amy DeWinter is in HG Cares as well. Her idea? Build a volunteer army willing to step in and aid vulnerable people who may be too scared to shop for groceries or pick up medicine.
"Honestly, I didn't really think too much about it. I just was thinking you know we live in a great community, and knowing that there might be people in need right now, and wanting to create a connection point."
There will be countless challenges in the coming weeks and months and thanks to people like Katrina and Amy and many, many others, the plan in Harrington Grove is to tackle them together.
As DeWinter explained, "I feel like there's a really strong sense of community here, we all take care of each other."
