.jpg)
Alumna Spotlight: Ann Marie Boole McCormick '91
It was mid-March when Ann Marie Boole McCormick '91 heard the news. Like many places around the world and country, Maryland would close schools to slow the spread of COVID-19. While she sat at her desk at work processing the news, she could not help but think “What can I do?”
Driven by the Goals of the Sacred Heart, and Newton Country Day’s mission statement to “promote hope, zeal, compassion and commitment necessary to meet the challenges of a complex society,” McCormick, who lives with her husband Joe and 12-year-old twins Joey and Alex in Bethesda, Maryland, began to think of the individuals who would be impacted by the closures. She remembered working with Alex and Joey on sandwich-making events she ran for their class at school to support Martha’s Table, a local non-profit that provides food and aims to increase “access to quality education, health and wellness, and family resources” for families in the Washington, D.C. area.
She immediately picked up the phone and connected with the non-profit to figure out what their needs were and how she could help. “They were one of the first places I called to help, and I was surprised because I expected them to say they wouldn’t take homemade items,” said McCormick. “The virus was still somewhat unknown, as far as how you could catch it and what people could accept and not accept as donations. It was a really sad, desperate call. Throughout the years, Martha’s Table has organized sandwich making events, asking people to drop off sandwiches, specifically, every day. All of these events had been canceled because they are usually team-building, work/school events. They did not know where the sandwiches were now going to come from.”
.jpg)
Knowing she could not fulfill the needs of Martha’s Table on her own, McCormick remembered that she had a substantial listserv of local neighbors, friends, and family that she could ask to help. “I had to be careful in how I communicated about the virtual event because I didn’t want anyone to think we were gathering as a group to make these sandwiches,” she explained. “I called it a Virtual Sandwich and Trail Mix making event. Families could make sandwiches or trail mix at their houses and then bring them to my house.” Within the first week, 445 sandwiches were dropped off on McCormick’s front porch.
As word got out, more people wanted to get involved. “My email distribution list kept expanding. Although the core was my listserv for my neighborhood, local school families and friends, people saw the success week after week. More people asked to be a part of it. I feel like it helped to bring a sense of community in a time where people really felt isolated and helpless,” McCormick said.
At its peak, McCormick’s virtual sandwich making event produced 4,000 sandwiches in a week. Knowing this amount was beyond the needs of Martha’s Table, she saw this as an opportunity to help other organizations in the area that were struggling.
“We started to overwhelm Martha’s Table because they could not organize all the sandwiches in time or get them delivered accordingly,” McCormick continued. “I reached out to other organizations, explained what we were doing, and asked if they would be willing to accept x number of sandwiches.” SOME (So Others Might Eat) was grateful for the offer of support.
McCormick did all of this while still working full time. “I had a lot of parents asking, ‘Can you explain to us how you are doing this? We don’t really understand.’ There was just something in me saying you need to start this. I didn’t mind spending the time on weekends and the evenings, because it was keeping me busy and it was helping others. Even in high school, I was never the person to just do one thing.”
McCormick attended Newton Country Day from seventh grade through senior year. Those six years were filled with activities, including varsity soccer and volleyball, yearbook, theater, choir, and her senior project at Tufts Floating Hospital. She credits her NCDS experience with giving her the drive to start the sandwich-making project.
“I couldn’t have executed an event such as this without learning the confidence, the independence, and the motivation to help others. There was something in my gut that day, even though everybody was freaking out about what to do, asking ‘What are the kids going to do who can't go back to school’, ‘And how are they going to eat lunch?’ Before they put plans in place, that was a motivating factor as well,” McCormick reflected.
“NCDS is where everything starts to come together. Where you start to become your own person. Where you really start to grow and recognize when others are in need. But also, how to bring others together - to make that impact and not do it alone.”
She is also grateful for the sense of community that NCDS has provided. In fact, Stacey Murphy Crowley ’92 and her family contributed sandwiches. McCormick’s sister, Debbie Boole Smelko ’74 and other NCDS alumnae cheered her from afar. Some local Stone Ridge families also participated in the event.
As of June 25, McCormick had collected and donated 28,192 sandwiches and 5,887 bags of trail mix, as well as assorted cans of Spam, tuna, and bottles of water. She decided to pause the project to avoid burnout from participants, but plans to bring it back when the time feels right. “I miss it. It’s funny, the kids bring it up from time to time. I say, ‘I’m going to reach out to Martha’s Table soon.’ I will pick a time when everyone is somewhat back in their academic routine, whatever that might be for them, have a handle on it and are ready to maybe do another round or two,” she said.
Whether the project continues or not, McCormick looks back on it fondly. “It was a pretty special time. I have so many pictures, and I want to put together a video or a book because I don’t want to forget about it. I know I won’t, it was too significant. I don’t want to say it gave me a new sense of hope for people and what they do for others because I’ve always had that faith in people. It was eye opening how others could come together under so much stress and in a challenging environment and make such an impact.”
Driven by the Goals of the Sacred Heart, and Newton Country Day’s mission statement to “promote hope, zeal, compassion and commitment necessary to meet the challenges of a complex society,” McCormick, who lives with her husband Joe and 12-year-old twins Joey and Alex in Bethesda, Maryland, began to think of the individuals who would be impacted by the closures. She remembered working with Alex and Joey on sandwich-making events she ran for their class at school to support Martha’s Table, a local non-profit that provides food and aims to increase “access to quality education, health and wellness, and family resources” for families in the Washington, D.C. area.
She immediately picked up the phone and connected with the non-profit to figure out what their needs were and how she could help. “They were one of the first places I called to help, and I was surprised because I expected them to say they wouldn’t take homemade items,” said McCormick. “The virus was still somewhat unknown, as far as how you could catch it and what people could accept and not accept as donations. It was a really sad, desperate call. Throughout the years, Martha’s Table has organized sandwich making events, asking people to drop off sandwiches, specifically, every day. All of these events had been canceled because they are usually team-building, work/school events. They did not know where the sandwiches were now going to come from.”
Knowing she could not fulfill the needs of Martha’s Table on her own, McCormick remembered that she had a substantial listserv of local neighbors, friends, and family that she could ask to help. “I had to be careful in how I communicated about the virtual event because I didn’t want anyone to think we were gathering as a group to make these sandwiches,” she explained. “I called it a Virtual Sandwich and Trail Mix making event. Families could make sandwiches or trail mix at their houses and then bring them to my house.” Within the first week, 445 sandwiches were dropped off on McCormick’s front porch.As word got out, more people wanted to get involved. “My email distribution list kept expanding. Although the core was my listserv for my neighborhood, local school families and friends, people saw the success week after week. More people asked to be a part of it. I feel like it helped to bring a sense of community in a time where people really felt isolated and helpless,” McCormick said.
At its peak, McCormick’s virtual sandwich making event produced 4,000 sandwiches in a week. Knowing this amount was beyond the needs of Martha’s Table, she saw this as an opportunity to help other organizations in the area that were struggling.
“We started to overwhelm Martha’s Table because they could not organize all the sandwiches in time or get them delivered accordingly,” McCormick continued. “I reached out to other organizations, explained what we were doing, and asked if they would be willing to accept x number of sandwiches.” SOME (So Others Might Eat) was grateful for the offer of support.
McCormick did all of this while still working full time. “I had a lot of parents asking, ‘Can you explain to us how you are doing this? We don’t really understand.’ There was just something in me saying you need to start this. I didn’t mind spending the time on weekends and the evenings, because it was keeping me busy and it was helping others. Even in high school, I was never the person to just do one thing.”
McCormick attended Newton Country Day from seventh grade through senior year. Those six years were filled with activities, including varsity soccer and volleyball, yearbook, theater, choir, and her senior project at Tufts Floating Hospital. She credits her NCDS experience with giving her the drive to start the sandwich-making project.
“I couldn’t have executed an event such as this without learning the confidence, the independence, and the motivation to help others. There was something in my gut that day, even though everybody was freaking out about what to do, asking ‘What are the kids going to do who can't go back to school’, ‘And how are they going to eat lunch?’ Before they put plans in place, that was a motivating factor as well,” McCormick reflected.
“NCDS is where everything starts to come together. Where you start to become your own person. Where you really start to grow and recognize when others are in need. But also, how to bring others together - to make that impact and not do it alone.”
She is also grateful for the sense of community that NCDS has provided. In fact, Stacey Murphy Crowley ’92 and her family contributed sandwiches. McCormick’s sister, Debbie Boole Smelko ’74 and other NCDS alumnae cheered her from afar. Some local Stone Ridge families also participated in the event.
As of June 25, McCormick had collected and donated 28,192 sandwiches and 5,887 bags of trail mix, as well as assorted cans of Spam, tuna, and bottles of water. She decided to pause the project to avoid burnout from participants, but plans to bring it back when the time feels right. “I miss it. It’s funny, the kids bring it up from time to time. I say, ‘I’m going to reach out to Martha’s Table soon.’ I will pick a time when everyone is somewhat back in their academic routine, whatever that might be for them, have a handle on it and are ready to maybe do another round or two,” she said.
Whether the project continues or not, McCormick looks back on it fondly. “It was a pretty special time. I have so many pictures, and I want to put together a video or a book because I don’t want to forget about it. I know I won’t, it was too significant. I don’t want to say it gave me a new sense of hope for people and what they do for others because I’ve always had that faith in people. It was eye opening how others could come together under so much stress and in a challenging environment and make such an impact.”