Makayla Allsberry takes a care package filled with gift cards and other items to those in Rehab Without Walls, a group that is devoted to help those who suffer from brain injuries. Makayla and some friends at Temescal Canyon High School created the project, “Lend a Friend,” as part of the IB Diploma program at the school.
Brain-injured recipients get care packages
Temescal Canyon High School senior Makayla Allsberry from Canyon Lake and her team spent the last two months seeking donated goods to assist Rehab Without Walls, a national support group organization for those with brain injuries. Late last month, the project culminated in the students successfully delivering the care packages to their designated recipients.
“It was such a heartfelt experience,” Makayla said after delivering some of the boxes. “It was so cool. It was amazing as they would reach out to me to say thank you and how much it touched them.”
Makayla worked with fellow students Gabby Decaro and Sham Labanieh on a CAS project, called “Lend a Friend,” for the IB program they are in at Temescal Canyon.
CAS stands for creativity, action and service and the project is a requirement IB students must complete to obtain diplomas in the program.
“In 2017 my grandpa experienced a stroke that majorly impacted our family,” Makayla said. “My grandma and he were in and out of hospitals and care centers for what felt like forever. Understanding how much his stroke impacted the life of our family made me passionate to conduct this service project.”
The emergence of COVID-19 has brought Makayla and her team’s attention to the vulnerability of these families.
“Those who have these injuries can no longer attend their in-person physical therapy,” she said. “The care they receive from trained professionals has been limited. And all of their support group sessions have been transferred to online which can be challenging for many.”
Makayla said she and her partners felt motivated to create a project in which they could help these families.
“We want them to feel supported by their communities and understand that we are all here for one another during these tough times,” she said.
The students filled the care packages with the donated grocery store gift cards, sanitizer containers, masks, granola bars and other items people contributed. With the boxes packed, it was time to deliver them to the individuals in the support group.
“My dad and I went around all over to safely drop off as many boxes as we could,” Makayla said. “We had to ship out the rest of them. Everyone received their boxes.”
As Lend a Friend comes to an end, Makayla said she wants to thank everyone for reaching out and donating to their project.
Rehab Without Walls offers post-acute neuro rehab through residential, outpatient and home-based programs. The program removes barriers and changes lives by building a program around the patient rather than putting the patient in a program. From brain and spinal cord injuries to autism therapy, Rehab Without Walls works with individuals throughout most of the United States.