“True Calling” is a documentary film series about everyday heroes on the frontlines, both abroad and right here at home. The first episode features an EMT, Daniel Goldberg, fighting the pandemic at its epicenter -New York City. His story begins with an unexpected pivot from finance to healthcare and then launches into the chaos of Manhattan during the pandemic. We follow Mr. Goldberg as he responds to real 911 calls. We learn how his job changed during the pandemic and how getting COVID himself motivated him to keep helping others. Episode 1 “It’s What We Do” told the story of one of our society’s unsung heroes and reminded us that service only calls the best of us. The episode aired while New York was still at its worst and hundreds of lives were lost to the virus daily, adding urgency to Mr. Goldberg’s story.

Verizon has historically offered promotions and discounts to segments of the population who serve their community, including the military, first responders, and teachers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became more important than ever to bring all our communities together in support of frontline workers.

There was one challenge: Verizon was regarded with suspicion because promotions were not necessarily seen as meaningful. To us, this was an opportunity to show that Verizon’s commitment was deeper than a discount.

So we defied the odds and overcame production challenges imposed by the U.S. lockdowns to tell intimate stories of these everyday heroes. Most of it had to be captured by the subjects themselves and directed by us remotely. Thanks to that approach, we were able to launch the films while the pandemic was still very much impacting our lives, and share these inspiring stories at a time when we needed it most.