Two Jamaica Plain organizations were the latest to receive grant money from the Boston Resiliency Fund to expand COVID-19 testing and continue to feed those most in need during the pandemic.
Mayor Martin Walsh announced Wednesday that both the Southern Jamaica Plain Community Health Center First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain were included in the latest round of grant money. The two Jamaica Plain organizations joined 12 other organizations from across the city that will share $1 million in grant assistance.
Walsh said the focus of this round of funding here in Jamaica Plain and elsewhere is to continue supporting the expansion of testing at community health centers, building on his announcement of rapid expansion of citywide testing capacity. This round of funding also focuses on increasing food access for residents and supporting Boston’s small business community, ensuring parents and families have basic, essential needs to care for their children, and to continue supporting neighborhood-based organizations.
“During the ongoing public health emergency, Bostonians have shown their true colors and have demonstrated that we can lean on each other during difficult times,” said Walsh. “The City of Boston is proud to quickly deploy these critical resources made available by the generosity of Boston’s residents and businesses, to support organizations in our community that are on the frontlines of providing needed assistance to our residents.”
According to Walsh the Boston Resiliency Fund has now dedicated $1.1 million to expand COVID-19 testing and conduct culturally appropriate outreach and education at 15 community health centers here in Jamaica Plain and across the City of Boston.
The Southern Jamaica Plain Community Health Center will use the money to expand testing at the neighborhood-based community health center.
Grant money will also go to the historic First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain to continue to serve and deliver hot meals from their commissary kitchen three days per week to seniors, homeless individuals, and low-income Bostonians.
“Due to the Covid-19 virus the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain has been worshiping via ZOOM,” said the church in a statement. “Meals are being delivered Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and groceries (are being delivered) also on Saturday. We are currently working to increase our capacity to serve more of our neighbors.”
So far the Boston Resiliency Fund has distributed $16 million to 179 organizations since the Fund was first launched in March.
The Boston Resiliency Fund exists within the Boston Charitable Trust, an existing nonprofit designated trust fund managed by the City of Boston’s Treasury Department.
For more information on how to make a donation, please visit: boston.gov/resiliency-fund. For general inquiries, please email [email protected].