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Coronavirus News: NYC woman comes up with way for New Yorkers to donate MetroCards to essential workers

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Coronavirus News: NYC woman comes up with way for New Yorkers to donate MetroCards to essential workers

CeFaan Kim reports on a woman in Brooklyn who came up with a solution for people to donate MetroCards to essential workers who need them.

GREENPOINT, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A woman in Brooklyn has a solution for all those MetroCards that aren't being used right now.

The cards are a lifeline for so many New Yorkers who never leave home without it. But what about those of us who are no longer leaving home?

Elizabeth Adams, the legislative director for City Councilmember Stephen Levin, had the idea that those unused cards could be donated to people who do need them.

"It's a scary time and it can be really hard for people so just any way we can say thank you and show a little gratitude for people," Adams said.

The Greenpoint resident says the got the idea of donating her MetroCard while self-quarantining after a friend reached out to her looking to give a card to an essential worker.

She decided to set up a Google spreadsheet and it quickly snowballed. After only a few days, now dozens of people are making connections.

"The feeling of community I think it really helpful," Adams said. "We're all feeling so isolated right now. Not going outside can take a toll so we can still feel connected to each other is really helpful and is how we're gonna get through this."

"It's a fantastic idea and right now we need to be coming up with innovative ideas," Levin said.

The MTA agrees and released a statement adding:

"We encourage our customers to gift MetroCards. Give them to a firefighter, a police officer, to an MTA employee, someone who works for Con Edison, a person who delivers groceries, or someone who brings prescription drugs from the pharmacy. It's a great idea."

"This city has always risen to the challenge or risen to the occasion whenever we faced a crisis, whether it's after 9/11 or whether it's after Sandy, we know how to come together with collective action," Levin said.

Adams came down with severe COVID-19 symptoms, but like so many, she couldn't get a test.

She said she's feeling better now and her self-quarantine is almost over.