SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Like so many other families these days, the Howell family spends quite a bit of time online.

But more so than just catching up with friends on Facebook, Amanda Howell and her daughter Gracie spend their time on a special page. They're part of a group called Adopt a Senior 2021.

“I definitely check it multiple times a day, not one time for an hour, but probably five to six times per day. You can go on there and have 20 to 30 new posts.”

The campaign was started last year as a way to connect local high school seniors who missed their graduations due to the pandemic with families who wanted to help celebrate them.

Amanda and Gracie were actually two of hundreds who lent their support to local high school students. As a senior at Hart High School, Gracie said it is easy to feel forgotten.

“When you’re at home, you think no one is thinking of you and you’re the only person going through this hardship of everything that’s going on," she explained.

Having someone out there who is looking out for you and cares about you has made a world of difference. 

“You just do feel seen and appreciated," Gracie continued. "It makes you feel like you have this army behind you to get through this hard time."

It's that feeling that motivated the mother and daughter duo to adopt again, this time for seven different high school seniors. Several families in the area have also adopted Gracie. In a time where so much has been taken away from students and their families, this has given them something back — and something to look forward to.

“It's meant a lot. We look forward to it and we get a huge smile on our faces," Amanda said. "And it’s not the stuff, she’s getting lots of cute stuff, but she’s been alone for like a year and now she’s not alone. When these people show up to the door and are thinking about her it makes my mom heart incredibly happy.”

Throughout this difficult time, it has created a virtual support group of sorts and a reminder that community has not stopped working in the pandemic.