MERCER ISLAND, WA — A grassroots effort to aid Mercer Island's most vulnerable residents is already dozens strong after volunteers rushed to answer the call for help amid the growing coronavirus outbreak in Washington.

Debby Wilson —a tech executive, and mother of two — lept into action as confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew exponentially in King County this month. According to state health officials, people above the age of 60, and those with pre-existing health conditions, are at a significantly higher risk for developing serious complications related to the illness. Gov. Jay Inslee and public health experts have urged everyone, especially people in sensitive groups, to stay home as much as possible while efforts continue to stop the spread of the virus.

"I, of course, have been following the news of the coronavirus for several weeks, with a lot of concern and interest," Wilson said.

Wilson kept a particularly close eye on a case-tracker map developed by Avi Schiffmann, a Mercer Island teen who gained international acclaim based on his work to organize the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

Wilson says she soon began to notice several posts on community forums offering assistance for local seniors, and people with underlying health concerns, and developed a process to match the availability of help with a pressing need in the community. The effort started with an online sign-up sheet and a Google Doc, to gather a rolling list of volunteers and organize helpers based on geographical location and their preference for certain tasks, like dog-walking, grocery shopping or quick trips to the post office.

Within a matter of days, Wilson says, the response was overwhelming.

"I started with asking for 25 people, and that filled up immediately," Wilson said. "Then I expanded it to 35, and that filled up. Then I set it at 65, and that filled up immediately."

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Washington. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

To let seniors know help was available, Wilson's team circulated physical letters around the island to let them know volunteers were standing at the ready.

