Lisa Edwards

Over the last 18 months, covid-19 has shifted my thinking and definition of the “essential worker.”. At the beginning of the pandemic, I prized the individuals who delivered food and stocked shelves at grocery stores. Who knew that toilet paper, flour and sugar would be such hot commodities? I was also inspired by the health care workers who, every day, risk exposure to covid-19 while providing care to the sick. From those standing outside in the rain to administer drive-through covid-19 tests, to those racing to stabilize those who were infected, every health care worker has had a role and has also been affected.

Demands for our attention are at an all-time high with the pandemic, family and work commitments. It is easy to overlook the growing needs in our community as we drive by a homeless person standing on the corner, or someone pushing a grocery cart with their personal belongings. We have become numb to the overwhelming needs of others and say to ourselves, “someone else will take care of them.”