CUMMING, Ga. — Throughout the pandemic, there have been countless stories of families separated, unable to see each other due to COVID-19 restrictions. Lockdowns across the country hit seniors especially hard, with family unable to visit.
Such was the case for sisters Brandi Allen and Ashley Rollins.
"Feisty doesn't even begin to describe Aunt Betty," Allen said. "But sadly we're her only family."
"Just knowing she was going to be more isolated than ever ... Ashley and I just really tried to step up calling and send little gifts and cards, just to let her know she's being thought of," she added.
But as the months dragged on, the pair wanted to do more, ultimately brainstorming another way to regularly send their love from Georgia to St. Louis.
Unable to find a company that suited their needs, they decided to create their own: SilverSwagBox.com.
When they couldn't find what they were looking for they came up with their own solution.
"We started in October, with eleven subscribers," Rollins said. "Seven of those were our dad," she laughed. Since then, Rollins said businesses have continued to grow, the subscription service tailored specifically to senior citizens.
The boxes, often themed and filled with games, gifts, and treats, are topped off with a hand-written note. The gifts offering another opportunity for loved ones to stay connected in spite of the pandemic's separation.
For Rollins, watching their idea grow into an opportunity to touch other families has been particularly significant.
"The lady that was telling us about her mother with dementia," Rollins said. "She received the box and she could just tell [her mom] was filled with joy."
A reminder that love comes in all forms, and in the midst of the pandemic, it even travels in a little blue box.