News & Politics

Heroes of the Crisis: A 15-Year-Old Who Is Raising Funds for At-Risk Workers

Alexandria's Mealy Cronin started a GoFundMe for medical personnel and others.

Photograph by Jeff Elkins

This article is part of Washingtonian‘s feature “Heroes of the Crisis.” From medical professionals to social-justice activists to culinary stars, here are some of the people who have helped get us through these most challenging of times. Read about the 15 people making a difference during the pandemic here.

Mealy Cronin
Founder, Feed Our Fearless Frontline Fighters

How she’s helping: 

The Alexandria 15-year-old has raised more than $8,000 on GoFundMe to buy meals for medical personnel, grocery-store employees, and other at-risk workers. “It provides a small token of my appreciation, and my family’s appreciation and pretty much everyone’s appreciation.”

Biggest win: 

“Helping all these different people in my community who I wouldn’t have otherwise connected with.”

Hardest moment: 

Coronavirus turned spring break at home—Mealy attends boarding school in Connecticut—into an unexpectedly long-term situation. This project helped her find “some sort of control over my life. I really found a purpose while I was home.”

What inspires her: 

Having been president of a community-service club when she attended Annandale’s Westminster School. “That school was integral in making a strong foundation for my love of this area. It was really where I found my love of community service. They place a strong emphasis on community involvement and helping others.”

This article appears in the October 2020 issue of Washingtonian.

Daniella Byck
Lifestyle Editor

Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.