PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- In March, at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Hita Gupta received a disappointing phone call from a nursing home where she volunteered.
"They called me and told me that they were no longer allowing any visitors and they couldn't allow any volunteers. And that just made me think about how the residents must be feeling, because they don't have any family or friends or loved ones to see," she said.
Gupta said she wanted to do something to remind the senior citizens isolated in nursing homes and long-term care facilities that they were not alone, and to help keep their minds occupied. The high school junior from Paoli got to work, channeling her disappointment into passion through her nonprofit Brighten A Day.
"I've been coordinating telephone calls and video calls between volunteers and seniors. I've also been donating devices to retirement homes so that the residents can video chat with family and volunteers," she explained. "I've also been sending encouraging video messages. Some volunteers record, like, a 30-second message for the seniors. Some sing or dance to show off talents like that to cheer up the seniors," she continued.
Her cards, care packages and messages have spread joy to seniors all over the world, including the U.K., Australia and Canada.
Gupta, who started the project with her allowance, has raised $30,000 towards the cause since April.
"It's been overwhelming. There have been so many retirement homes that have told us that the residents actually started crying after receiving some of the things we've been sending, because they are just so touched that someone is thinking about them right now," she said.
Gupta says she spends much of her free time managing the project, sometimes soliciting the help of her little brother. But she credits the volunteers for helping her bring a smile to tens of thousands of people at a time when they need it most.
"There are so many people across the world helping make this happen. This is not possible without their help," she said.
She hopes that she will inspire others to see that they, too, have the power to brighten someone's day. All it takes is a simple act of kindness.
"It's really gratifying to see the impact of what I'm doing, to see the smiles on the faces of the seniors and to see how many people have come together to support our seniors."
