Like many teenagers, the Mann sisters, 17-year-old Piya and 19-year-old Samar, have been stuck at home during this pandemic.

“We couldn’t leave the house and it’s hard to think of ways that we could give back and try to make a difference,” says Samar.

Because their parents are doctors they know COVID-19 is a threat to them and all health care workers on the front lines.

“Before this whole coronavirus crisis I never saw it and the way that they were going to work and risking their lives,” says Piya.

“I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for them,” adds Samar.

But because they also know personal protective equipment (P.P.E.) can make the difference between them getting sick and staying safe, the sisters took action to raise money for P.P.E..

“We started a GoFundMe, we all spread it though our social medias,” says Piya.

“The goal was $1000 initially, I was, personally, I was happy to get even $100,” says Samar.

They did a lot better than that.

Four weeks later, they met with administrators at Eisenhower Health, the not for profit hospital in Rancho Mirage, where their parents work, to hand them a check for $5,000.

“Many people donated whatever they could, that really meant so much, so this is really from everyone to you guys,” says Samar to the hospital staff as she gives them the check.

“Thank you so much, you can’t know how much this means to us,” says Laura Williamson, with the Eisenhower Foundation.

“It is an absolute godsend, there are some months when we have gone through our normal allotment of P.P.E. four or five days into the month,” says Williamson.

That money can buy about 10,000 N95 respirator masks.

Two nurses came down to show their gratitude.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

“I just hope that this can aid them and protect them and give them some kind of peace of mind that they’re community is still with them,” says Samar.

Teen Sisters Raise Thousands to Protect Local Health Care Workers