Fordham Students Rally to Support NYC During COVID-19
COVID-19 has dramatically affected the economy and life of residents in the United States. New York City has seen one of the biggest hits in the country with 184,319 confirmed cases as of May 12. This comes after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on March 15 that all bars and restaurants would be limited to takeout and delivery only. This executive order also required nightclubs, movie theaters, and concert venues to close their doors for the foreseeable future.
Fordham University, with two campuses in NYC, also took measures in response to COVID-19. On March 9, University President Joseph McShane suspended all face-to-face instruction. This has since been extended for the remainder of the semester, as most colleges and universities across the country have followed the same measures.
Despite this, Fordham University students have found a way to remotely help NYC during this time. For graduating senior Maddie Rizzo, this found its form in illustration. Rizzo has created prints and t-shirts of Fordham scenes and will be donating ten percent of the profits to NYC Health and Hospitals.
“When quarantine began, I was feeling incredibly upset about the larger state of the world and my personal losses from the abrupt end to senior year,” Rizzo said. “I wanted to illustrate Fordham at its best and share it with our community, while also contributing to the health workers who are fighting on the front lines.”
Rizzo chose NYC Health and Hospitals to support because of her time living in NYC.
“When I call Fordham “home” I also include New York City as a whole. New York is one of the most affected areas of the pandemic, and the city health workers deserve all the help they can get,” Rizzo said.
Another graduating Fordham senior, Jared Smallwood, has made similar efforts to help the city during COVID-19. Smallwood organized a Custom Ink t-shirt fundraiser to help an immediate bar and grill in the Belmont community, Mugz’s. The idea came when he saw a Facebook post from the manager.
“For small businesses it is definitely a hard time. Especially businesses around campus that thrive when students are present,” Smallwood said. “Hopefully, they are able to recover when school resumes in person.”
Many restaurants, bars, markets, and bodegas in the Belmont neighborhood depend heavily on the patronage of Fordham students. They typically experience losses during the summer when the number of students living in Belmont is significantly reduced. However, with the pandemic, they will be facing financial hardship until they can open their doors again.
Fordham junior Helen Stevenson has thought about these local businesses she frequents while she has been at her home in New Jersey quarantining.
“I can’t help but think about all of the small businesses on Arthur Avenue who are experiencing financial difficulties — not only as a result of the stay-at-home order, but because a large population of students are no longer living and buying in the Bronx,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson has supported these fundraisers and efforts to help the immediate Belmont community as well as NYC as a whole.
“There is always room to do more to give back, but I think these efforts show how much Fordham students connect with the Belmont community,” Stevenson said. “I hope that students will start to come back to the area soon, and that we can help contribute to the local economy in a bigger way.”
During this time, consider buying gift cards or ordering takeout from one of the many restaurants in Little Italy.
To support Rizzo’s fundraiser, click here.
