NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — In a typical year, award-winning WCBS 880 feature reporter Mike Sugerman hosts a segment called “Sweet Spot.”
The series highlights unique places and people throughout the Tri-State area or things that are just “goofy and fun,” as Sugerman puts it.
Though, when the coronavirus pandemic struck in early 2020, it didn’t feel appropriate to continue the series.
Instead, Sugerman was tasked – along with other reporters – to find people who are making a difference in their communities amid these difficult times.
We called this feature “Difference Makers,” and Sugerman highlighted over 50 of them throughout the year.
The stories ranged from musicians helping to provide comfort for healthcare workers, restaurant owners banding together to help laid off employees, local teenagers who worked landscaping jobs for charity money and so much more.
Of all the stories he covered, here’s some of Sugerman’s favorite.
1. Musicians host virtual concerts for healthcare workers, COVID patients
Cellist Andrew Janss wasn’t considered an essential worker, but it didn’t stop him from working during the pandemic. He and fellow musicians wanted to help in any way they could – so they banded together to put on virtual concerts. In some of the darkest days for some patients, Janss and his bandmates were able to bring some joy and positivity through their performances, if only for a short time.
2. Teacher steps in to take care of student’s newborn brother
Sugerman says this story almost brought him to tears when he learned about Luciana Lira becoming a mother quite unexpectedly. The teacher from Connecticut says her 7-year-old student’s family became infected with COVID-19 and his mother was just weeks away from giving birth. Because of the virus, the mother went into a coma and gave birth three weeks later. When the family was well enough to return home, Lira stepped in to take care of their newborn baby as the entire family was still contagious. Several weeks later, the baby and mom were reunited thanks to Lira’s care.
3. Organization provides pajamas, bedtime stories to kids in need
The Pajama Program had been working for years to provide pajamas and read bedtime stories to children for years, but when the pandemic struck, they found so many more children were in need. Executive director Jamie Dyce, however, says the group was up for the challenge and is still donating pajamas and books to kids in need today.
4. Restaurant workers ban together
One of the most hard-hit industries this year was the restaurant industry. Hundreds of workers were laid off, others had no choice but to work during a pandemic and many restaurants are still finding it difficult to keep their doors open.
But through all the chaos, Sugerman found dozens of people who were working to help restaurant owners and workers make it through these trying times.
Here’s his favorites:
Nonprofit steps up to help workers in the restaurant industry
NYC group encourages locals to help restaurants recover
Brooklyn restaurateur lends space to Black chefs to showcase their talents
North Brooklyn Angels partner with restaurants to feed those in need
5. Teens, kids step up to help during the pandemic
Sugerman met dozens of kids and teenagers this year who were making a big name for themselves in their communities because of their incredible actions.
Here’s his favorite kids at the frontlines of kindness this year:
NJ teens start 5Help movement to support COVID frontline workers
New Jersey teens take on landscaping gigs for charity
Teenagers step up to become poll workers amid pandemic
5-year-old Queens girl celebrates heroes of pandemic in new book series
6. Learning how to connect virtually
2020 was the year of virtual meetings, but for some, staying connected was a challenge in itself. With technology advancing so quickly, many older adults found it hard to keep up – but Sugerman met a few people who were working to make sure everyone could stay in the loop.
Long Island woman helps bring together elderly friends with Zoom
Teen starts computer class to help seniors stay connected
7. Robotic pets helping elderly adults overcome loneliness amid pandemic
Technology also helped to soothe people during the pandemic, in ways many wouldn’t even think about it. Sugerman says this story was one of his favorites of the year, about a cat named Raymond, who really wasn’t a cat.
He was a robotic pet given to an elderly dementia patient to keep her company and help her stay alert.
8. Staten Island family still seeks toy donations despite pandemic
The pandemic made it nearly impossible to collect toy donations for children in need and for those in children’s hospitals, simply because people were not allowed to gather at locations where donation boxes would usually be put. The Bonici family host a toy drive donation every year and feared they would not have enough toys this year – that was until WCBS 880 listeners stepped up to help. Overall, the family helped a record number of people thanks to generous monetary and toy donations in the month of December.
WCBS 880 will continue our “Difference Makers” series in 2021. If you have a story about someone who has made a difference in your world, we’d like to tell those stories. Email WCBS 880 features reporter Mike Sugerman at msugerman@wcbs880.com.