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BOSTON
- Saturday, May 23, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the Office
of Neighborhood Services (ONS) this weekend will distribute the first half
of the 20,000 care kits assembled over the course of this week to various
community outreach partners, meal sites, and testing sites in Boston,
building on the Mayor's commitment of making critical resources available
to residents. Each kit contains a mask, hand sanitizer, gloves,
anti-bacterial wipes, soap, and a booklet
with information from the City on COVID-19 facts and resources. The
City of Boston is dedicated to providing access to these basic necessities
to our most vulnerable population during this pandemic, and keeping
residents informed while giving them the tools needed to adhere to the
safety guidelines outlined by the Boston Public Health Commission.
"We're
proud to make available these community care kits in areas that need them
the most - places that our Health Inequities Task Force has identified as
having the greatest need right now," said Mayor Walsh. "By making
these resources and information available, it's our hope that we are
further informing people on how they can protect themselves, their families
and their communities, and letting them know that the City of Boston is
here to help them."
Providing
residents with the tools they need to stay safe during this time was one of
the recommendations of the Mayor's
Health Inequities Task Force, which has been working to provide
guidance to the City of Boston on addressing current inequities in data
analysis, testing sites, and health care services for blacks, Latinos,
Asians and immigrants, and advocating for an equitable reopening and
recovery for all of Boston's communities.
Over
the course of this week, the care kits were assembled by a team of 130
volunteers from 25 City departments, who supported the Office of
Neighborhood Services (ONS) in preparing for the distribution. The care
kits are being made available in part through community partners, who play
an integral role in providing residents with the resources needed to keep
people safe during this public health crisis. Many community-based organizations
are working to ensure that our most at-risk groups, who have been
disproportionately affected by illness and economic harm, are sufficiently
supported.
"Thank
you to the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) for this generous
donation to the Cape Verdean Association of Boston," said President of
the Cape Verdean Association of Boston Paulo A. De Barros. "This is
going to allow the Cape Verdean Association to continue to support the
needs of our community by donating personal protective equipment and
supplies needed during this difficult time. This work is important as we
work to stop the spread in our communities."
Mayor
Walsh and the City of Boston are prioritizing the health of all residents
while meeting the needs of everyone impacted by COVID-19. As the State's
Phase 1 of Reopening Massachusetts is implemented, keeping residents safe
and informed is key in further lowering our positive test rate and avoiding
a spike in hospital resource use from COVID-19 cases in Boston.
"These
kits provide simple supplies and important information to help educate our
residents on how to keep them and their families safe. As we move forward
to our new normal, it's important that we help residents prepare,"
said Chief of Civic Engagement and Neighborhood Services Director Jerome
Smith.
Mayor
Walsh and the Boston Public Health Commission have made clear that
residents are still safer at home and the basic safety precautions of
washing your hands, wearing a face covering and social distancing remain
key to recovery. The Office of Neighborhood Services is proud to provide
our most vulnerable residents with the resources needed to follow these
guidelines.
In
addition to providing multilingual information via text alerts and
Boston.gov, City of Boston employees and volunteers delivered printed
information on COVID-19 to all homes in Boston in English,
Spanish,Haitian
Creole, Chinese,
Vietnamese,Cabo
Verdean Creole and Russian,
with additional printed materials online in Portuguese, Arabic
and Somali.
The City of Boston has also deployed sound trucks throughout the
hardest-hit neighborhoods to encourage residents to stay healthy and safe
during the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Walsh, along with many City
employees, have been doing weekly robocalls for thousands of Boston adults
over 60 years of age in multiple languages. Bilingual members of Mayor
Walsh's team have also been conducting interviews with ethnic media to
relay information in multiple languages. The Mayor's press conferences have
provided ASL interpretation and English captioning on live streams.
For
additional questions or programs, please visit our website
or call 3-1-1, Boston's 24-hour constituent hotline. Text BOSCOVID to
888-777 to receive text alerts on a regular basis, available in 11
languages.
ABOUT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES
The Mayor's
Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) encourages, facilitates and
maximizes citizen input and participation through service requests,
neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses. To report
non-emergency issues to the City, residents are encouraged to connect with
BOS:311 by dialing 3-1-1 or by downloading the free BOS:311 app on iOS or
Android platforms.
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