Making a difference, one person at a time

A random act of kindness. A sympathetic ear.

Sometimes it takes just one person or a small group to make a huge difference.

We conclude our four-part "A Call to Action" series with stories of individuals, families and communities that jumped in to help as the coronavirus pandemic raged.

Some took to their laboratories or tinkered in basement workshops. Others served food, sat down at sewing machines, visited homes — or even fired up an airplane to deliver supplies. While the COVID-19 fight is not over, these efforts — and countless others — are among the best weapons we have.