91̽��

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, 91̽�� graduate Lyndale (Allison) Reisinger, BSC ’09, MA’ 12, discovered a new talent that presented her an opportunity to brighten people’s days while also raising funds for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. Photo courtesy of Lyndale Reisinger

91̽�� graduate Lyndale (Allison) Reisinger, BSC ’09, MA’ 12, has turned what started out as a fun family activity into a quest to bring joy to others while helping to feed a growing number of Ohioans struggling in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A mom of three and director of the enterprise customer solutions and enablement department at Nationwide Insurance, Reisinger and her husband, Doug, found their very busy and regimented lives disrupted as the COVID-19 pandemic prompted stay-at-home orders.

“We started working from home beginning in April, so you’re trying to figure out what the ‘new normal’ looks like for your family,” Reisinger explained. “I was praying to find a purpose and an outlet. My mom has been making masks for the community, and I just wanted to step up and volunteer in some way. I just didn’t know how I could help.”

Equipped with a big bag of colored chalk a neighbor generously gave her, Reisinger started doing chalk art with her children in the driveway of their Westerville, Ohio home. As rain gave way to sunshine on Easter Sunday, Reisinger and her children resumed their driveway chalk art.

Reisinger decided to try and draw the Easter bunny, which turned out a lot better than she, or her family, expected. She took a picture of her creation and posted it to her Instagram account with the message, “Hoppy Easter!” Reisinger’s artwork was met with an incredibly positive response from her community, which inspired her to continue drawing and sharing her work on social media.

Wanting to encourage Reisinger’s newly found talent, a friend suggested that she draw people’s pets. Still unsure of her skill level, Reisinger started with her mother-in-law’s Boston Terrier.

In an eight-day period, 91̽�� graduate Lyndale (Allison) Reisinger, BSC ’09, MA’ 12, raised more than $3,500 for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank by drawing more than 20 portraits of people’s pets. Photo courtesy of Lyndale Reisinger

“I had people posting on my social media who started asking me to draw their pets and giving me ideas,” she said.

Gradually gaining confidence, Reisinger decided to give the people what they were asking for and drew a picture of a woman’s English Bulldog, posting it to social media with a simple message to the dog’s owner: “I hope this makes your Saturday.” Moved by the gesture and the beautiful portrait of her pup, the woman offered to pay Reisinger.

“It’s such a powerful feeling to excite someone like that and make their day,” Reisinger said, tearing up as she reflected on what this new gift has meant to her and those who have experienced it. “It’s really special.”

The following day, Reisinger’s quest to brighten people’s days shifted to an opportunity to help provide people’s basic needs.

On April 26, Reisinger received a text from the Mid-Ohio Foodbank announcing its COVID-19 Emergency Relief Match, providing a dollar-to-dollar match for donations to the foodbank, thanks to donors who created a match pool of $600,000.

In her role with Nationwide Insurance, Reisinger had gained exposure to and volunteered at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, which helps supply food to nearly 700 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, after-school programs and senior housing facilities in central and eastern Ohio. Earlier this month, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank reported a 326 percent increase in the number of new households needing food assistance at its on-site pantry alone, compared to this time last year.

“There are people who are hungry, and the thought of people who can’t buy food and who don’t know where their next meals are coming from is heartbreaking,” Reisinger said.

The match program was supposed to end on May 1 but was extended to May 4, giving Reisinger a mere eight days to draw as many people’s pets as she could with any donations from those individuals going directly to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

“Every time I got too tired, I thought of somebody somewhere who was hungry, and I decided to push through and draw more,” Reisinger explained.

Alumna Lyndale (Allison) Reisinger, BSC ’09, MA’ 12, (pictured front row, far right) poses for a photo with several of the 91̽�� Lancaster students she interacted with during a “Bobcat to Bobcat” networking session. Photo courtesy of Lyndale Reisinger

Reisinger set out with a goal of raising $250, which would provide 1,000 meals to those in need. In the first 24 hours, she raised $720 and completed eight portraits. By 11:59 p.m. on May 4, Reisinger’s newly discovered talent resulted in a $3,520 donation (matching dollars included) to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and more than 20 portraits completed. ()

“I still don’t believe it,” Reisinger said of this experience and what it has meant to her, to her family and to her community. “It’s just an amazing feeling seeing the community come together like this. There are not a lot of people who can donate $1,000, but when you put all these people together, it comes together in a big way. … I wanted to show my children why it’s important to help people and give back.”

In addition to giving back to her fellow Ohioans, Reisinger has been giving back to her alma mater. Having earned her master’s degree at 91̽�� Lancaster and her bachelor’s degree between the main campus and the Lancaster Campus, Reisinger has been participating in the Lancaster Campus’ “Bobcat to Bobcat” networking sessions, talking with the students following in her footsteps about her OHIO experience and her transition from college to career.

“I really enjoy giving back and getting a chance to see the future generation that will take over the workforce someday,” she said. “I’ve been impressed with the talent and the character of the students I’ve met.”