OCALA, Fla. — A single Facebook post asking for help so an ER doctor could have a safe place to sleep without endangering his family has grown into a national movement.
Holly Haggard, co-founder of RVs 4 MDs To Fight the Corona Virus (sic), says the group was started out of the need to help her co-founder Emily Phillips find a way to keep her family safe while her husband treats COVID-19 patients.
That idea sparked an all-volunteer movement that has grown in the last two weeks to help hundreds of nurse, doctor and first responder families across America.
Phillips’ husband is an ER doctor in Texas. They have a 6-month-old, a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old.
"The 8-year-old has asthma and [Phillips] has asthma," Haggard told us. "So [Phillips] reached out to her social media group and friends and asked if anybody had an RV or a camper to lease so that Jason (her husband) could stay at their home, but outside of their home."
From that one act of kindness – Haggard loaning Phillips an RV – the two Texans co-founded the Facebook group RVs 4 MDs.
"RVs for MDs is a 100% volunteer group that matches RV owners and campers with medical personnel and first responders," said Haggard.
The two women didn't know each other two weeks ago.
Haggard says they were connected by a mutual friend. And instead of asking Phillips for money to rent the camper, Haggard suggested she pay it forward.
"It kind of sparked from there," said Haggard.
Phillips took that and ran with it. She created the RVs for MDs Facebook page that has helped hundreds of medical workers connect with RV or camper owners.
Beth Wells is one of those people.
"There are a lot of things that I worry about," Wells said. "There’s a lot of stress and this is an extra stress. But.. it’s one thing... one thing less that I don’t have to worry about."
Wells is an RN at Ocala regional medical center in Ocala, Florida. Her team is responsible for treating the hospital's COVID-19 patients.
She says the thought of bringing the virus home to her kids is not something she's willing to risk.
"So I’m going to be living in the front yard for a while," Wells said.
Wells and her husband Brian were able to use the RVs 4 MDs Facebook page to connect with the Moll family. They live just 30 minutes away, and have a spare RV that Wells can live in temporarily.
"The RV was something we wanted to do specifically so that I at least get glimpses of the children," Wells said.
The Wells Family
Beth and Brian have two kids: 6-year-old Evelina and 4-year-old Zane.
"[Evelina] knows that I’m going to go in there [the RV], but last night she asked me, ‘But on your days off, you’re still going to come here and sleep inside?’ and I’m like, no, I can’t," said Wells.
She tried to help her daughter understand what this new normal would be like.
"I’m still going to get to see you, but I can’t sleep in the house."
Her daughter asked if she'll be able to give her hugs. Her mom sadly had to say no.
While her daughter is struggling to understand why mom won’t be around, she does understand that her mom has to make sure her little brother Zane stays healthy.
"The need is actually pretty much for [Zane]," said Wells. "He was born with downs syndrome, and at 2 months old he had open heart surgery to correct three heart defects. His immune system is lower than most, and because of that he’s just even more susceptible to getting the common cold."
On Saturday they posted their need to the RVs 4 MDs Facebook page.
"Sunday morning, like not even 24 hours later, I had contact with Bob," said Wells' husband Brian. "He’s about 30 minutes away. He’s driving the trailer and he’s dropping it off this morning."
Wells is so thankful to the Moll family and to RVs 4 MDs.
"That my family is going to be safe... it’s invaluable," she said.
There are still hundreds of families like the Wells still waiting to be matched with an RV owner.
Yesterday, Nancy Theodore from Arlington VA posted that her family has a 24-foot travel trailer that they can deliver to anyone in Northern Virginia.
If you know a family that can use their help visit the RVs 4 MDs facebook page.