LYNN — Two community groups have teamed up to deliver free meals to needy people who are confined to their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Volunteers from the North Shore Labor Council and the North Shore Juneteenth Association have been delivering meals prepared by My Brother’s Table, a Lynn-based soup kitchen, for the past three weeks to residents throughout the community.
The effort started out small with four families, but the list of those receiving assistance has grown to more than 70 people who would otherwise not be able to access free meals at My Brother’s Table or at the “Grab and Go” sites set up at four of the city’s public schools.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began its stranglehold on people’s livelihood, North Shore Labor Council Executive Director Kathryn Cohen said the families she started reaching out to had many of the same fears.
People were afraid they would not be able to afford to pay their rent or bills because they had lost their jobs and did not qualify for government assistance. They also cited fears of becoming homeless or being unable to feed their families.
“A lot of people we talked to couldn’t leave their house because (they were) elderly or had a newborn child, and didn’t want to bring their child out into the public,” said Cohen. “Everybody is supposed to be staying home. We said there’s a clear need now. Someone has to step up and do grocery deliveries.”
So, Cohen and Nicole McClain, founder and CEO of the North Shore Juneteenth Association, decided to fill that void. They were able to enlist the help of the soup kitchen as well.
Every Thursday morning, volunteers from both organizations, along with others from the Salvation Army, church groups and community leaders meet at My Brother’s Table on Willow Street to sort and deliver food, Cohen said.
Each person or family receives more than a week’s worth of food, said Cohen, noting that the groups are able to provide more food through the soup kitchen’s donations than if volunteers had to purchase the groceries through supermarkets.
One such recipient, Gisela, 35, would not be able to access food for her family if not for the deliveries. Gisela separated from her husband about a month ago, which left her with four children to care for on her own.
Through a Spanish interpreter, Gisela said her life has been “turned upside down” from the coronavirus. She’s out of work and can’t leave her home due to fears of contracting the virus and bringing it home to her kids.
Since Gisela does not qualify for government assistance, she’s also having a hard time paying her bills and rent, and has been served an eviction notice from her landlord. According to the notice, she’s required to move out by the end of the month.
So, the struggling single mother felt “very blessed” when she got the call from community organizers, who told her they would be able to deliver free meals to her home each week.
Being able to get food is a huge help, Gisela said, and she’s “extremely grateful” as she would not be able to survive without the assistance that the organizations are providing.
The list of families in need of their services grows every week, said Cohen, who was a bit taken aback by the rapid growth. She said it made her realize that they had “hit a nerve” in the community and highlighted a real need for increased access to food.
“We’ll do it as long as there’s a need,” said Cohen. “We see it as not only helping these families, but protecting everyone’s health. The more people can stay inside and out of grocery stores, the healthier we all are. As long as there’s a threat of COVID-19 and we have volunteers, that’s as long as we’ll do it.”
If anyone wants to be added to the list for meal delivery, they should send an email to [email protected].