Lynbrook resident studying nursing makes gift baskets for first responders

Ginamarie Isler, of Lynbrook, had her nursing studies interrupted this spring because of the coronavirus pandemic, but she is putting her time at home to good use, raising more than $4,000 through GoFundMe to assemble care packages for first responders.

In the past three weeks, the 27-year-old has delivered dozens of gift baskets to first responders at hospitals, and police and fire departments across Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Westchester, Queens and Orange counties. She has undertaken the effort with her fellow nursing students, Christine Geraci and Matthew Brady.

“I think the best part about helping first responders is seeing how happy they are in the pictures with the care packages,” Isler said, “and hearing them say things like, ‘I’ve been using the ChapStick you gave me to help my skin that has been breaking down under the masks.’ I would say that caring for others is innate within me, and that’s why I want to be a nurse.”  

Isler, who is a senior nursing student in Rockland County, had her in-person clinical studies at Montefiore Nyack Hospital and Good Samaritan Medical Center cut short because of the statewide stay-at-home order. She is still taking online classes, but she said she wanted to find a way to help others during this difficult time. “It’s a small thing to make a difference, and that’s what nursing is,” she said.

Isler shared her GoFundMe campaign on her Facebook and Instagram pages. She also contacted a few high-profile medical Instagram accounts to help promote the link. And she spoke with Lynbrook business owners to help with donations.

With the money Isler raised, she purchased needed items from Amazon and Target, which she then wrapped in baskets for first responders. The baskets included snacks, ChapStick, lotion, mouthwash, body and makeup wipes, pens, protein bars, energy drinks, tea, candy, mints, oatmeal, hand sanitizer, emergency immune-boosting packets, water, Gatorade and Snapple.     

Isler contacted officials at hospitals and police and fire departments to arrange for no-contact drop-offs, for which she wore gloves and a mask and met a representative dressed in personal protective equipment outside each facility to hand off the baskets.

“We wanted to give first responders items that could help them on their shift,” Isler said. “We also wanted to help out the nurses who are working long hours because we could no longer support them at the hospital in the clinical setting at school. Helping out first responders helps me to realize I’m going into the right career, and it gives me a sense of contentment and fulfillment.”

Isler’s nursing classmate, Christine Geraci, 28, of Orange County, helped drop packages at various locations. 

“I decided to help out with this initiative because I wanted to give credit to those who put fear aside and go help, and I knew many nurses were working long shifts and having a hard time,” Geraci said. “It’s the best feeling in the world to deliver positive energy when things are so uncertain.” 

Geraci recalled seeing many first responders looking sad and depressed on social media amid the pandemic. “I just want to put a smile on their faces,” she said.  

Despite the no-contact drop-offs, Geraci said, she still worried about being exposed to the virus.

“It’s natural to be afraid, but it’s just a matter of not letting the fear be strong enough to stop you,” she said. “It was amazing to see how happy the first responders are in the photos they sent us after they received the packages. We won’t stop. We will continue to help our first responders until we can’t anymore.”