Community. Reaching out. Locals helping locals. These were the things on Stephanie Stevens’ mind when she launched the Florida Keys Request Line Facebook group earlier this week.
“From the first time I came here as a kid, I always felt like the Keys was home,” says the Big Pine resident. “The community here is really special, you know? Sure, the beaches and tropical weather are nice, but it’s really about the people.”
When the coronavirus craze began hitting the Keys, many of her older and immune-compromised neighbors felt fear and panic. Stevens wanted them to know they could stay in their homes, but still get what they needed, she explains.
“I thought something needed to be done, so I woke up and did it,” she says. Stevens created a Facebook group to get people the support they needed by leaning on the strong community she fell in love with.
With a simple mandate to make sure no one goes without, the group has inspired and catalyzed well over 1,000 members and volunteers to join within just four days. A grateful Stevens says, “Within the first 12 hours, I had at least 30 permanent volunteers from Key Largo all the way to Key West, who private-messaged me saying I could count on them. No one said ‘No.’”
While some Facebook members like “Debbie N Ray” specify, “We’re at MM 10.5 Please holler if you need something,” others, like Phillip Underwood, offer blanket assistance, “Signing up. Signing in. Signing on.” Suzi Youngberg extended help around MM 92 in Tavernier and offered up her Upper Keys Business and Professional Women Board. Even County Commissioner Michelle Coldiron posted a “Reemployment Assistance FAQs” in the group after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order closing bars and dine-in throughout the state left many servers and bartenders unemployed.
On the flip side, those needing help also use the forum to ask for what they need. The same day that Trina Conley posted “I’m in Key Largo and need bananas for the baby and butter,” Alisha Johnson replied, “I have butter I’ll bring tomorrow and I’ll look for bananas tonight.” Cathy Brewster also offered the tip, “The Farmers Market in KL has bananas, Winn Dixie had butter!”
Either organically through Facebook posts or with Stevens’ behind-the-scenes private messaging, the group matches volunteers with those who need help by availability and geography, and her army of volunteers does daily deliveries in just about every Key.
People will request grocery lists, prescription pickups, or a search for now-elusive thermometers, explains Stevens. She then posts in the public Facebook group, asking, “Need volunteers for deliveries in Tavernier and Key West (United Street area).” Volunteers comment and “take up the shift,” going to the store for their elderly neighbors, immunocompromised classmates and/or parents who can’t find necessities to feed their kids.
The volunteer brings the needed goods to the person’s home, sends a picture of the receipt to the person once shopping is done, and gets paid back directly via Paypal, Venmo or cash left outside, explains Stevens. This way, there’s never any interaction between the delivery person and the person delivering to, she assures.
Locals have privately thanked Stevens because they are “too embarrassed to post publicly” but “need milk and eggs, and can’t shop safely.” This is exactly why Stevens created the group, “to make sure that people who have needs but are scared to leave home don’t have to worry about how they’ll get through,” she adds.
As the crisis affects more segments of the economy, businesses have also contacted Stevens. Dave Lewis from Bluewater Plumbing Solutions, Inc. on Big Pine Key posted a selfie of plumbers using sun buffs as makeshift masks because they cannot find protective equipment and have to enter other people’s homes. He writes, “Masks, latex gloves. We would deeply appreciate some! Hand sanitizer or alcohol so we can continue our work. There are people that desperately need our services based on sanitary conditions….”
Movers and nursing home workers have also posted urgent requests for masks and gloves, sharing how they’re shredding bed sheets into masks in desperation.
These requests are the ones that really motivate Stevens. “The hoarding is endangering the people who have to go into others’ homes or help the elderly. That’s scary to me,” she shares. Recently, the forum may have brought together some people to address the shortage.
Each day, Stevens recaps her number of fulfilled requests: 22 out of 22 requests for help met, 13 requests and one pending, etc. She thanks volunteers publicly on the forum and always brings it back to the community, reminding everyone that “#TogetherWeCanDoAnything #KeysStrong #KeysHealthy.”
To volunteer or make a request, search for “Florida Keys Request Line” on Facebook and join the group or email stephnbrian99@gmail.com.
