VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE  122 
AIR DATE  05 15 2020   
TRANSCRIPT

 
OPEN  ((VO/NAT)) 
((Banner)) 
Receiving Help
((SOT)) 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
The Food Bank has been literally a great help during this 
time.  And at the end of the day, my kids, they're fed, they're 
healthy and it didn't cost you anything. 
((NATS))  
 ((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner))
Giving a Home 
((SOT)) 
((Stephanie Lombardo, City Dog Rescue, Washington 
DC))  
Because of COVID-19, we have seen a high number of 
adoption applications being submitted and an equal interest 
in people fostering.   
((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner)) 
Singing Thanks
((SOT)) 
((Brian Stokes Mitchell, Balcony Singer)) 
I'm there singing in thanks to all the essential workers, the 
bus drivers, the MTA workers, the ambulance drivers, the 
NYPD, the fire department.  Stay safe!  Keep loving one 
another! 
((NATS))  
((Open Animation))  
 

BLOCK A 

 
((PKG))  UNEMPLOYED SINGLE MOTHER
((Banner:  Getting by with some Help)) 
((Reporter/Camera:  Arturo Martinez)) 
((Map:  Los Angeles, California)) 
((Main characters:  1 female))
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
My name is Sonia.  I was working as a caregiver and I had to 
stop working because of the coronavirus.  Now, I find myself 
being unemployed and having to care for my three children 
as a single parent.  The senior that I was taking care of is the 
sweetest person on earth and I love her and she loves me.  
Am I going to go back to her?  I don't know.  In these times 
right now, people are scavenging to pay their bills.  The last 
thing they need is another bill like mine. 
((NATS))   
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Do you want water?  Hold on.  Here you go.  
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
I'm the head of this house.  I am the only income that comes 
in.  But I've been paying with my savings.  How long am I 
going to last like this?  I don't know.  
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
 "I did receive the [federal] stimulus check and that helped. That’s one breather. That money is already set to pay my mortgage for this coming month.  But one month at a 
time, that's all I can do."
((NATS))   
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Okay, time for homework.   
We have literally been locked up in here, like, locked up.  
((Computer))   
Let's look at the relationship between a fringing reef and a 
choral reef again. 
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
So, they're getting their WiFi from the school.  I'm trying to 
cut back as much as I can from bills so that I can pay the 
most important ones: mortgage.  We open up the windows to 
get fresh air.  I always go throughout the house making sure 
that the ceiling fans are off if we don't need them.  And I try 
to disconnect any unused plug that is just sucking electricity 
for no apparent reason.  
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
So, my notice of unemployment insurance award and all I 
see is zero.  What does that mean?  I have no idea.  Weekly 
benefit amount: zero.  High quarter earnings: zero.  I've 
given up calling for every day between the hours of 8 
through 11 and just calling and calling and calling and 
calling.  
((NATS))   
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Five - six - one - six…. 
((Voicemail))   
We have established a new Unemployment Insurance 
Online Assistance Center.  We are currently receiving more 
calls than we have the capacity to answer.  At the end of the 
message, the phone will hang up. 
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
We definitely need more help from the outside because 
inside, there's only so much you can do. 
((NATS))  
((Sonia Benítez)) 
The Food Bank has been literally a great help during this 
time.  And at the end of the day, my kids, they're fed, they're 
healthy and it didn't cost you anything. 
((NATS))  
((Sonia Benítez)) 
We're almost there. 
((Lady)) 
Yes. At what time did you get in line? 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
At 8:30. How about you? 
((Lady))   
It was like 8:20, 8:15.  
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Yes.  Do you come here often? 
((Lady))   
It's my first time. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
First time? 
((Lady))   
Yes. How about you? 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
I've been here before. Go for it. Good luck. 
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
So, I've been waiting here since, what, two hours-and-a-half 
so far.  It helps everybody right now.  I see Hispanics.  I see 
Asians.  I see Caucasians.  I see everything.  People in good 
cars, people in not so good cars.  We all have the same 
need.  We're all in the same boat right now.  Financially we 
are at our limit.   
((NATS))   
((Sonia Benítez)) 
There we go.   
((Volunteer))   
All the way up. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Thank you. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
It looks like this time we're going to get meat patties, lemons, 
salties, beans. 
((Volunteer))   
Hi, any donations today?  We all stick together so this way 
we all have somewhere to go when we need.  So, thank you 
so very much. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Thank you. 
((Volunteer))   
Is this a blessing? 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Yes, it is. 
((Volunteer))   
Praise the Lord. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
I don't know if you remember my mom.  She used to come 
here all the time. 
((Volunteer))   
Really? 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Yes, the white hair. 
((Volunteer))   
I get a lot of white hair ladies. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
I know. 
((Volunteer)) 
Ok, God bless you. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Thank you. 
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Do I feel embarrassed?  No.  Thankful.  I see all those 
people there and they are just, they really are pouring their 
hearts out assisting everyone. 
((Volunteer)) 
Hallelujah. 
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
All right.  They give us enough, to tell you the truth, that 
when I come here, I get a couple of ingredients and then I 
share the other half.  It feeds several homes.  
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
Some beans.  So, I'm going to give this bag to my neighbor.  
If she has enough beans, then hopefully she'll pass it down 
to her friend who's also a single mom of two girls.  And this is 
what I'll give her.  Hopefully, she'll take two and then give out 
two.  Oh, there's apples and oranges. Plenty for at least two 
houses, if not three.  Some chocolate, asparagus and baby 
tomatoes.  I wouldn't buy cherry tomatoes personally 
because it's out of budget.  It's out of my budget.  Lemons.  
More onions.  So, all of this will get distributed to assist 12 
people in three households. 
((NATS))   
((Sonia Benítez)) 
Here you go.  There's more coming, ok?  Here you go.  They 
gave a lot today.  
((Neighbor))   
I'll give you some money.  
((Sonia Benítez)) 
No, it’s all good. 
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
The only person that goes out is me and as soon as I come 
back in, the first thing I do is wash my hands.  Health, it 
literally is priority.  I would not push for the economy to open.  
No.  Why would you expose yourself or somebody you 
would love unless there's some sort of treatment that 
guarantees that my life will not be at stake.  No.  I don't want 
to push it.  Bills can always get paid later on but you can't 
replace your health.  Am I struggling?  Yes, but I'm not dying.  
That's the worst.  I mean, I'd rather lose the house.  I'd rather 
stand in line and food bank and everything else but I'll still be 
alive with all my kids.  Out there is just a lot of heartbreaks 
and it makes me value what I have here at the house even 
more. 
((NATS))   
((Sonia Benítez, Unemployed single mother)) 
I lost my mom not too long ago.  And while she was in the 
hospital, I was there every day, every single day.  And it's 
sad to see what all these families are going through, you 
know, not able to tell their families goodbye.  I would just, I 
would just die if my mother would have passed away and, 
and not been able to hold her hand and be there with her.  
Some of these families are just going at it by themselves. 
You drop them off at the hospital and that is it.  You don't get 
to say goodbye.  A video chat, what is that?  That is so cold, 
so impersonal.  It really is almost inhumane.  But that's the, 
that's where they're living and you don't want to be part of 
that.  As long as anybody around you doesn't have any 
contact with this disease at this point, I mean, with this virus 
at this point, it's a blessing.  It is.  You just, you don't want to 
know anybody that goes through this because it is painful. 
((NATS)) 
((Banner:  California has started to gradually lift some of its 
lockdown restrictions, but Sonia remains without a job and 
has still not received unemployment benefits.))

 
TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up….. 
((Banner)) 
Shopping from a Distance 
((SOT)) 
((Tracy Stannard, Owner, Broad Branch Market))  
We don't usually deliver but when the virus came up and we 
realized that it was getting a little too risky to have so many 
people in the market because we would get super busy.   

BREAK ONE									 
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))				  
 

BLOCK B   
   
 
((PKG))  DELIVERY ROBOTS   
((Banner:  Delivery Robots))  
((Reporter/Camera:  Steve Baragona) 
((Adapted by:  Martin Secrest)) 
((Map:  Washington DC))    
((Main character:  1 female))  
((Sub character:  1 male))  
((MUSIC / NATS:  Robot))  
((Banner:  Broad Branch Market makes robot food 
deliveries)) 
((Tracy Stannard, Owner, Broad Branch Market))  
We don't usually deliver but when the virus came up and we 
realized that it was getting a little too risky to have so many 
people in the market because we would get super busy, we 
wanted to keep people outside.  So, we opened up the walk- 
up for delivery and then the bots seemed like a great option. 
((NATS:  Outdoors, Robot))  
((Banner:  Online ordering is for delivery within 5 kilometers 
[3.1 miles])) 
((NATS:   
Child:  It’s moving.  Follow that robot!))  
((Tracy Stannard, Owner, Broad Branch Market))  
I think the biggest change though, has been sort of the 
outpouring from the community about how much they love 
them.  They're a great distraction.  They're great 
entertainment for the kids.  They just make everybody 
happy. 
((NATS:   
Robot:  Hello.  I’m a Starship Delivery robot. 
Child:  Hey, he can talk?  I didn’t know that!))  
((NATS:  Outdoors, Robot))  
((Tracy Stannard, Owner, Broad Branch Market))  
Sales are slow.  You know, it's hard.  You get more sales if 
people shop for themselves.  We're sort of like a fulfillment 
center right now.  My entire staff is pulling grocery orders 
and it takes a lot of time, a lot of labor.  Staffing is low.  A lot 
of people don't want to work.  We just do what we can and, 
you know, the neighborhood's been awesome.  They get 
what they get and they don't get upset.  You know, we don't 
call them back to say we’re out of stuff. We just put it in and 
send it out, so. 
((NATS))   
((Rob Okun, Customer)) 
I had just seen it a few days ago in our neighborhood and I 
thought, “Wow, great idea.”  We actually needed just a few 
things from the market, so we figured let’s try that.  Got my 
groceries! 
((NATS:  Outdoors, Robot)) 
 
 
((PKG))  GROWING FOOD NYC   
((Banner:  Growing Your Own))  
((Reporter/Camera:  Dmitrii Vershinin)) 
((Adapted by:  Martin Secrest)) 
((VOA Russian Service)) 
((Map:  New York City, New York))  
((Main characters:  1 female))  
((Courtesy:  Lucy Lesser))  
((NATS:  Front of home)) 
((Banner:  Lucy Lesser grows her own food and provides 
free seedlings for her community)) 
((NATS:  Front of home)) 
((Skype Logo))  
((Lucy Lesser, Brooklyn Resident))   
I actually grew up my entire life thinking that tomatoes were 
absolutely disgusting, mostly because I was, you know, 
getting mushy, kind of, unflavorful ones.  Once I finally tasted 
like, a homegrown tomato, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this 
tastes amazing.’ 
((Courtesy:  Lucy Lesser))  
((NATS:  Outdoors))  
((Skype Logo))  
((Lucy Lesser, Brooklyn Resident))    
So, for the first seedling giveaway, I think we gave away 
about 150 plants the first week we did this and this past 
weekend, I distributed 250 plants and over 70 people came 
and picked them up.  Obviously, I would love to be outside 
standing with everyone and helping explain how to care for 
them and doing all of that stuff.  We distributed basil, dill, 
tomatoes, tons of peppers, eggplants, pumpkins.  The best 
thing about this was that a lot of members of the community 
came and dropped off seedlings that they had started but 
they hadn't gotten a chance to fully plant yet, or someone 
rolled in with about 25 tomato stakes, which is just really 
helpful if you haven't gardened before and you don't have 
the budget. 
((NATS:  Coming into house))  
((Courtesy:  Lucy Lesser))  
((NATS:   
Lucy:  It’s busy!))  
((Skype Logo))  
((Lucy Lesser, Brooklyn Resident))   
So, I just set up my plant stand like, I don't know, 10 minutes 
ago and I was already like, eight people waiting to get plants.  
It’s all free.  People have to grow their food. 
((Skype Logo))  
((Lucy Lesser, Brooklyn Resident))   
If people can grow and be self-sufficient, I think it's 
wonderful.  And my mission is to really support that in any 
way that I possibly can.  I think during this crisis, it's really 
important for communities to come together and I hope that 
it creates, you know, strong roots that will continue to grow 
hopefully when this is over. 
((NATS:  Outdoors))  
 
 
((PKG))  ANIMAL ADOPTIONS   
((Banner:  Adopting New Friends))  
((Reporter:  Lesia Bakalets)) 
((Camera:  Sergii Dogotar, Vladimir Badikov, Max 
Avloshenko))  
((Adapted by:  Zdenko Novacki)) 
((Map:  New York City, New York;  Washington, DC;  San 
Francisco, California))   
((Main characters:  3 female))  
((Sub characters:  1 female; 1 male))  
((NATS)) 
((Locater:  Washington DC))
((Stephanie Lombardo, City Dog Rescue))  
We bring dogs and cats from our partner shelters to D.C., 
place them with foster families or people who are looking to 
adopt them.  So, the dogs and cats that are here, are 
actually going to homes but this is part of our normal 
practice.  We have a lot of different protocols because of the 
COVID-19 pandemic.   
((NATS)) 
((Locater:  Washington DC))
((Stephanie Lombardo, City Dog Rescue))  
You know, there's enhanced safety procedures.  We're using 
social distancing protocols, masks, making sure that we are 
practicing in absolutely the safest way possible. 
((NATS)) 
((Skype Logo)) 
((Locater:  San Francisco, California))
((Sherri Franklin, Founder, Muttville Rescue)) 
When we had the lockdown, we had to get in touch with as 
many foster families as we could, to close down the shelter 
and move every single dog into a foster home because we 
wanted to close the shelter because we didn’t want to have 
to have our employees come to work.  So, within 48 hours 
we found foster homes for every single dog. 
((NATS)) 
((Skype Logo)) 
((Locater:  New York City, New York)) 
((Katy Hansen, Volunteer, Animal Care Centers)) 
On March 13, we put a call out to New York City because we 
knew that we would be facing some tough times ahead and 
we asked for fosters and adopters.  And we thought we 
would get about 200 applications and we ended up getting 
5,000 applications. 
((NATS)) 
((Locater:  Washington DC))
((Stephanie Lombardo, City Dog Rescue))  
Because of COVID-19, we have seen a high number of 
adoption applications being submitted and an equal interest 
in people fostering.  People are working from home and their 
children are also home, so the rationale is we have time, we 
have energy to bring a dog into our lives.  We are working 
with people to make sure that once this crisis is over, they 
have the same commitment and a strategy to provide care 
for a dog for his or her entire life.  So, we look for forever 
homes for our animals.   
((NATS)) 
((Marissa, Foster Dog Parent)) 
We’re both at home a lot right now and we have another dog 
at home and we thought she might be able to use some 
doggy friendship, another buddy in the house. 
((NATS)) 
((Bob, Dog Owner)) 
Happiness, the ability to go outside and walk around and not 
be harassed or anything, plus just general companionship.    
((NATS)) 
((Skype Logo)) 
((Locater:  New York City, New York)) 
((Katy Hansen, Volunteer, Animal Care Centers)) 
I think in New York City, a lot of people work twelve hours a 
day and so they feel that it's not great to have a pet because 
they're not home enough.  But now that they're home all day 
long, I think they're more open to it.  
((NATS/MUSIC))
 
 
TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up….. 
((Banner)) 
Voicing Appreciation 
((SOT)) 
((NATS)) 
((Ashley Bonner, ER Nurse from Alabama))  
Every night at 7 o’clock, all the cheers go up for everybody 
on the frontlines and a gentleman comes out here to the 
balcony and he sings and he's got the most beautiful voice.   
((NATS)) 


BREAK TWO									 
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))				  
 

BLOCK C  
 
 
((PKG))  BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL, BALCONY SINGER   
((Banner:  Paying it Forward))  
((Reporter/Camera:  Aaron Fedor))
     ((Additional Camera:  Ellington Mitchell)) 
((Interviewer:  Luke Golub Fedor)) 
((Map:  New York City, New York))    
((Main characters:  1 male))  
((Sub characters:  2 female;  3 male)) 
((NATS:  Clapping))
((Ashley Bonner, ER Nurse from Alabama))  
I'm a nurse from Alabama, an ER nurse who came up here 
to travel.  I'm here for 13 weeks.  I work at Metropolitan in 
East Harlem.  For every night at 7 o’clock, all the cheers go 
up for everybody on the frontlines and a gentleman comes 
out here to the balcony and he sings and he's got the most 
beautiful voice.   
((NATS:  Brian Stokes Mitchell clapping & singing))  
((Alana Pantale, New York))  
I've been out here about five nights.   
((Victor Caldwell, New York)) 
I've come out about at least a dozen times, if not more. 
((Brian Stokes Mitchell, Broadway Star/Film Actor)) 
Hi, I'm Brian Stokes Mitchell.  We are here on the Upper 
West Side of Manhattan.  The idea to start singing on the 
balcony was kind of spontaneous.  I had been suffering with 
COVID for a couple of weeks and it actually had moved into 
my lungs.  And one of the things that I did to exercise my 
lungs was to sing.  And it got to the point, finally, where I 
could sing without coughing.  And that was the night that I 
actually, when I was at the window, because I went there 
every night anyway to applaud all of the health care workers 
and essential workers here.  And I thought, you know what, 
I'm going to sing a song this time.  So, I broke out into the 
Impossible Dream and that's kind of how it started.   
((NATS:  Brian Stokes Mitchell clapping & singing)) 
((Brian Stokes Mitchell, Broadway Star/Film Actor)) 
The Impossible Dream is a bit of a signature song for me 
because I played Don Quixote on Broadway.  It started to 
attract a crowd down on the street now.  I'm not there to sing 
for them.  I'm there singing in thanks to all the essential 
workers, the bus drivers, the MTA workers, the ambulance 
drivers, the NYPD, the fire department.   
((NATS:  Brian Stokes Mitchell clapping & singing))  
((Stephen Russo, New York))  
I live right upstairs and have been listening to Brian Stokes 
Mitchell for the last couple of weeks.  It's been very 
inspirational and the crowds out here.  Sort of meaningful 
that he himself had gone through that and was really giving 
back to the community. 
((Victor Caldwell, New York))   
People feel just a little bit better for that one or two 
minutes and just inspired like, “you know, we're going to get 
through this.” 
((Brian Stokes Mitchell, Broadway Star/Film Actor)) 
I want to say thank you to all of you for showing up.  Thank 
you to the NYPD and to the officers, to our fire department, 
to our MTA, to the delivery people, to all of the people, the 
EMS workers that are keeping New York City going.  And I 
hope that everybody continues to clap and cheer for 
everybody that's working so hard right now.  At 7 o'clock 
every night.  Thank you everybody.  Stay safe!  Keep loving 
one another! 
((NATS:  Brian Stokes Mitchell singing)) 
And the world will be better for this. 
That one man scorned and covered with scars 
Still strolled with his last ounce of courage  
To reach the unreachable….. 
…..and I’m going to do a big note for everybody standing 
here…..  
STAR 
Thank you all.  Thank you all. 
((NATS:  Crowd)) 
Thank you so much. 
((Brian Stokes Mitchell, Broadway Star/Film Actor)) 
You are so welcome.  Thank you for listening. 
 
 
((PKG))  PROMO:  AMERICANS AND GUNS 
((MUSIC)) 
Americans and Guns 
Differing Perspectives 
((SOTs)) 
This is a fight for our way of life and our freedoms as 
Americans. 
The United States constitution says the right of the people to 
keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 
((MUSIC/NATS)) 
((SOTs)) 
Got to be some regulation, stop somewhere. 
Guns take on a different meaning when you have to kind of 
recognize that they are not just one thing.  Hunting has just 
kind of been a part of our lives as long back as I can 
remember.   
((SOTs)) 
I was shot eight times. 
My older son, he was murdered. 
People think it’s only a city problem or it’s only a domestic 
problem or it’s a gang problem and that is absolutely not the 
truth.  It hits families from every walk of life. 
It’s an attempt to demonize the tool.  It’s not the tool that 
kills.  It’s the person.  
((MUSIC/NATS)) 
((SOTs)) 
Easy access to a gun turns an impulse into a tragedy.   
((MUSIC/NATS)) 
((SOTs)) 
What frustrates lawful gun owners is that we get lumped into 
this heap in the media with people who are breaking the law.  
So, there’s a lot of ways to be safe with the guns.    
((MUSIC/NATS)) 
((SOTs)) 
We live in different realities, you know.  If you have been 
affected by gun violence, what guns are is one thing.  And if 
you have never been affected, you can kind of blithely go on 
with your life never really confronting that.  
((MUSIC)) 
Coming Soon on VOAConnect 
((MUSIC/NATS))

IN COMING WEEKS:  Sea Level Rise
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((NATS)) 
((John Keener, Former Mayor of Pacifica)) 
Pacifica is a small city just south of San Francisco and it's 
known for its beautiful beaches, the open hills, but Pacifica 
has a problem. 
((NATS)) 
((John Keener, Former Mayor of Pacifica)) 
Climate change will affect how fast sea level rises and the 
stronger winter storms that are the major cause of erosion of 
the bluffs.  We've actually lost a couple of apartment 
buildings a few years ago and we have more under threat. 
((NATS)) 
 
 
CLOSING  ((ANIM)) 
voanews.com/connect		 

((PKG))  FREE PRESS MATTERS  ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX)) 
((Popup captions over B Roll)) 
Near the Turkish Embassy 
Washington, D.C. 
May 16, 2017 
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters  
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten” 
“They should not be protesting our president” 
“They got what they asked for” 
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it  
reliably 
accurately 
objectively 
comprehensively 
wherever the news matters 
VOA 
A Free Press Matters
 
 
BREAK THREE								 
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))		


((PKG))  FREE PRESS MATTERS  ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX)) 
((Popup captions over B Roll)) 
We make a difference 
When we unmask terror
When we explain the impossible
When we confront an uncertain future 
When we give voice to the voiceless
The difference is Freedom of the Press
We are the Voice of America where
A Free Press Matters 
 
 
CLOSING  ((ANIM)) 
voanews.com/connect		

 
SHOW ENDS