BOSTON
- Thursday, July 2, 2020 - Continuing his commitment to an equitable
recovery for City of Boston residents most impacted by COVID-19, Mayor
Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Resiliency Fund Steering Committee today
announced the distribution of nearly $1.9 million to 15 organizations. In
total, the Resiliency Fund has granted over $22 million to 295 nonprofit
and local organizations to provide support to Boston's most vulnerable
residents.
"The
COVID-19 pandemic is still having major impacts on the City of Boston and
our residents, and we will continue to use the Boston Resiliency Fund to
support our communities with the greatest need," said Mayor Walsh.
"As we enter the summer months, I am pleased that the Fund will help
us support essential and vital services, including providing and delivering
meals, expanding capacity in the domestic violence shelter system,
supporting those in recovery, and more."
In
total, 49 percent of grantee organizations are led by a person of color and
55 percent of grantee organizations are led by a woman. The Fund serves
every neighborhood in Boston, but has focused on the neighborhoods hit
hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. A map
showing the neighborhood impact of Boston Resiliency Fund grantees
across the City of Boston can be found on the Fund's website.
Of the new grants announced today, 43 percent are led by a person of color
and 57 percent are led by a woman. Since the first round of fund
distribution, the Fund has raised over $32.4 million from over 6,400
donors.
"Ellie
Fund is grateful to the Boston Resiliency Fund for this crucial support of
patients being treated for breast cancer amid this pandemic," said
Meredith Mendelson, Executive Director of Ellie Fund. "This critical
funding will ensure that our patients have safe and reliable transportation
to treatment, and access to nutritious food. These services also lower
their risk of exposure to COVID-19 because our supports are delivered to
patients directly. The financial, physical and emotional hardships patients
face during treatment are now exacerbated by COVID-19. BRF's funding will
help us provide the extra support our patients need at this especially stressful
and overwhelming time."
This
week, grants will support the expansion of capacity in the domestic
violence shelter system, the reopening of farmers markets, a campaign to
close the SNAP gap, and additional supports for community-based organizations
across the city. The grants range in size and will be awarded to the
following organizations:
Boston Area Domestic
Violence Partnership: Boston Area Domestic Violence Partnership will use the funding
to expand capacity in the domestic violence shelter system over the summer
and provide food, and emergency supplies to these families. Casa Myrna will
serve as the lead partner for the group that includes: Asian Task Force
Against Domestic Violence, Center for Violence Prevention and Recovery at
BIDMC of Boston, Domestic Violence Program at Boston Medical Center,
Elizabeth Stone House, HarborCOV, HAVEN at MGH, Passageway at Brigham and
Women's Hospital, Renewal House of the Unitarian Universalist Urban
Ministry, RESPOND, and Transition House.
Common
Good Project: The Common-Good Project will use BRF funds to provide CSA
shares to working-class and underemployed minority women, isolated seniors,
and community members with disabilities in the Dorchester, Mattapan, and
Greater Boston area. The grant does not cover community health worker
salaries.
Community Outreach Ministries, Inc.: Community Outreach
Ministries will use the BRF grant to help connect seniors to services and
their broader support community through technology.
Ellie Fund: Ellie Fund will use the
funding to support and protect vulnerable breast cancer patients from
COVID-19. Services include grocery support and delivery, prepared &
delivered meals, and safe transportation to/from medical appointments
Family Aid
Boston, Inc.: Family Aid Boston will use the funding to deliver food,
supplies, and grocery gift cards weekly, directly to client apartments.
Social workers will survey clients bi-weekly to assess needs and monitor
health and housing status.
Faith Based Grassroots Addiction Recovery Coalition: Leaders of the Faith
Based Grassroots Addiction Recovery Coalition (FBGARC), along with The Gavin
Foundation & community partners, will provide support to people in
recovery and returning citizens during the pandemic through:
- Care Packages: Provide care packages to people
entering sober homes, either through the probation/parole partnership
or through other treatment programs. These care packages will include
personal hygiene items, bedding, towels, flip-flops, and a grocery
store gift card, and will be provided directly to the 14 participating
sober homes in Boston.
- Peer Support Meetings: Bring together local houses of
worship and recovery service providers to facilitate outdoor peer
support meetings. FBGARC plans on enlisting approximately 5-6 places
of worship or community spaces, which would be equipped with picnic
tables, sun umbrellas, podiums, PPE, and cleaning supplies. All
meetings would comply with social distancing and other public health
guidelines.
Friday
Night Supper Club: For Boston's homeless population, the COVID-19 pandemic has
been particularly devastating as food, shelter and medical care are even
harder to secure during this health crisis. Friday Night Supper Club will
use the funding to purchase groceries and supplies for their Friday Night Supper
Program (FNSP), which serves nutritious takeaway meals at the Arlington
Street Church in Boston to anyone in need.
Lena Park
Community Development Corporation (CDC): Lena Park CDC will use
the funding to secure essential goods and supplies, for 750 residents for a
4-week period. They are planning for the re-opening of the Community
Engagement Center (contingent upon and in accordance with local, state, and
federal approval/guidance) and will also prioritize funds to offer their
broader, non-resident community access to their COVID-19 relief supports
and services as they continue moving their lives forward as the community
recovers from the devastating effects of the pandemic. The funding will
support work to support Lena Park households with grocery store gift cards.
Mass
Farmers Market: Mass Farmers Market will use the funding to provide access to
farm fresh local fruit and vegetables for families, seniors, and
individuals this summer. The program will provide weekly coupons to those
in need regardless of immigration status, while supporting the local
economy and urban agriculture. A map of farmers markets in the City, days
and hours of operation, and available payment methods can be found here.
Project Bread: Project Bread will
develop and implement a public awareness campaign to promote Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment and utilization, targeting
SNAP gap households and other eligible but unenrolled families. These funds
will provide operational and additional language support to the FoodSource
Hotline and train community-based organizations and health centers to
screen for SNAP eligibility and support with applications.
Voice of the Tabernacle
Multi Service Center Inc (VTMC): VTMC would use the
funding to support critical support services to Haitian refugee and
immigrant youth and emergency housing assistance. This program is heavily
utilized by unaccompanied youth who need assistance in finding stable,
long-term housing in culturally-connected communities.
We Are Better
Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project: We Are Better Together
(WABT) will use the funding to purchase food gift cards and groceries.
Access to food/financial insecurity is a significant need for their
families, many of whom are seniors or single caregivers caring for children
due to the loss of a parent/caregiver to homicide and/or incarceration.
These families often face barriers in mainstream supportive services.
West End House:
The
West End House Boys and Girls Club in Allston will use the funding to
continue their food delivery program to families they serve.
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