Tamil students and volunteers from Toronto, Canada have set up a free transportation service to help the elderly and others in need during the COVID-19 crisis.

With the coronavirus prompting more nationwide restrictions and lockdowns across the world, it has made it particularly difficult for elderly and immunocompromised individuals to seek medical assistance and to purchase groceries, medications and other necessities. 

University of Toronto Scarborough Tamil Students Association (UTSCTSA) and Prima Dance School partnered together to introduce the initiative earlier this week.

“We are offering transportation aid to seniors to purchase any necessary groceries, medications or to seek medical assistance. We know how difficult this time can be and we want to make sure we can help as much as we can,” said volunteer Kiruthika Thayaparan.

She welcomed the collaboration with UTSCTSA to broaden their reach and encourage more volunteers to help provide support for those in need. “We at Prima Dance School initiated this with a team of the parents and students that are a part of the Prima Dance School community. We are happy to have UTSC Tamil Student Association on board with us to expand our services,” she said.

“We will all be working together to ensure that we can assist the community in all ways possible. COVID-19 continues to be a growing issue but it is very important to be informed through trustworthy resources.

There are many different media outlets and social media posts that are circulating with different types of information so please ensure that you are correctly informed,” she added.