COVID-19 Help: How to Donate & Volunteer

Donate to the Somerville Cares COVID-19 Fund

The Somerville Cares COVID-19 Fund supports the essential needs of Somerville community members most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund will provide emergency funding to Somerville residents and Somerville workers, regardless of immigration status, to help cover basic needs including, but not limited to, food, medications, rent, utilities, childcare, and other basic necessities. The fund is hosted by the United Way and administered by the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS).

All donations, no matter what level, demonstrate Somerville’s resilience in support of our diversity and our strength. To make a donation and to learn more, go to www.somervillema.gov/SomervilleCares.

Donate to Local Organizations Working on COVID-19 Response

If you are interested in making a monetary donation to a local non-profit agency supporting residents at this time please see the below list. In the interest of safety, at this time the City of Somerville is not facilitating donations of household goods (clothing, small appliances, linens, etc.) that are not directly related to health and safety.

If you have a suggestion of another local organization to include in this list, please email Chris Hosman at chosman@somervillema.gov.

Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund

The Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief fund supports frontline workers, households affected by COVID-19, immigrant and undocumented populations, food security, people with disabilities, and those facing homelessness in Massachusetts. The fund was established by First Lady Lauren Baker and the One8 Foundation and will distribute money to charitable organizations across the state that are helping vulnerable populations respond to the impacts of COVID-19.

Food Access

• Project SOUP runs a food pantry at 165 Broadway. You can support the food pantry by making a donation through the Somerville Homeless Coalition website. When making a donation online you can designate your donation to “Food pantry/ Project SOUP” under “If you have a special purpose for your donation, please let us know.”
• Food for Free is delivering 3,000 - 4,000 pounds of food per day from the Greater Boston Food Bank to the City of Somerville for their supplemental food pantry during the COVID-19 crisis. Food for Free runs food rescue and access programs in Somerville and Cambridge.
• Community Cooks is partnering with Forge Bakery to deliver ready-to-eat meals to Somerville residents who are in quarantine. These meals help to supplement the grocery bags provided by the City’s food pantry.

Housing

The Somerville Homeless Coalition continues to provide shelter for the homeless and move people into permanent housing where possible. SHC also runs the PROJECT SOUP food program which addresses food insecurity in the community.

Diapers, wipes, and formula for Somerville families

In collaboration with The Beautiful Stuff Project, the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative provides free diapers for Somerville families with infants and toddlers. Free diapers are distributed every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the East Somerville Community School and West Somerville Neighborhood School. Donations for diapers may be made here. 

Domestic Abuse Support

Respond is requesting donations to support their 24-hour domestic abuse hotline which is of critical importance during the COVID-19 crisis.

Immigrant Assistance

The Welcome ProjectImmigrant Assistance Fund provides financial support to residents of Somerville, Medford, Everett, Malden, and Cambridge affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of immigration status. 

The MassUndocufund for COVID-19 Relief provides financial support to undocumented workers living in Massachusetts who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Legal Services

Greater Boston Legal Services helps low-income families and individuals secure the most basic necessities of life: shelter, safety, food, and stability.

Business Donations

• If you are a business interested in donating quantities of hand sanitizer, soap, or toiletries please contact Chris Hosman at chosman@somervillema.gov.
• If you are a business interested in donating groceries please contact Food for Free.
• If you are a business interested in donating prepared meals please contact chosman@somervillema.gov to be matched with a local non-profit.

This information and links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. They do not constitute an endorsement or approval by the City of Somerville of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein. The City of Somerville does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. The City of Somerville bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.

to Assist with Local COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution 

If you're interested in supporting local distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, sign up for the Metro East Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), which serves Somerville and surrounding communities. Metro East MRC is part of Region 4B - Greater Boston. MRC volunteers can include medical and public health professionals as well as community members without healthcare backgrounds. Learn more and sign up here. 

with State and Regional Response 

The Metro East Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and the MA Responds COVID-19 Response Team are seeking volunteers of all skill levels with medical and non-medical experience. The Metro East MRC is a local initiative, while the COVID-19 response team is statewide. You can sign up for both at the same time by creating a MA Responds profile. 

To sign up, select COVID-19 Response Team and/or Metro East MRC by clicking the orange plus sign under “Add Organizations” in the application and select the teams you would like to volunteer for. Please note that Metro East MRC is part of Region 4B - Greater Boston. Questions about the Metro East MRC can be directed to Mia Nardini at MetroEastMRC@Town.Arlington.MA.US. 

with City of Somerville Efforts 

Currently, the City of Somerville has limited opportunities for volunteers but is building a reserve of volunteers to draw upon should they be needed. If you are interested in volunteering for City or School initiatives, please note that in most instances you will need an approved CORI (required background check) with either the City of Somerville or Somerville Public Schools. Please see the below contacts for volunteering:

• If you’re interested in supporting the City of Somerville’s Grocery Delivery Program or would like to be notified of other City of Somerville volunteer opportunities, please contact Jennifer Mancia, City of Somerville's Community Service Manager, at jmancia@somervillema.gov.
• Community-based organizations with volunteer inquiries and needs may reach out to Jennifer Mancia at jmancia@somervillema.gov.
• If you are interested in supporting the Council on Aging, please contact Natasha Naim, LCSW, at nnaim@somervillema.gov.

Once you have made contact with one of the above staff members and provided all the necessary information, you will be placed on a list and notified of opportunities as they arise. Please do not expect an immediate response as the current focus is on running necessary services utilizing a limited number of staff and volunteers whenever possible for the safety of the community. 

Check In on Elderly Residents 

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services is looking for volunteers to help with making check-in phone calls to elder residents regarding COVID-19. There is a particular need for volunteers who speak Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, or Haitian. A CORI/background is required.

to Help a Neighbor through a Mutual Aid Network

See if there is a need you can fill for a neighbor through a mutual aid network. Mutual aid networks, like Medford and Somerville Mutual Aid (MAMAs), are grassroots efforts to connect those with needs to those who might be able to provide help. Read more about how mutual aid organizations operate in this New York Times article, which highlights the efforts of MAMAs. 

These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. They do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the City of Somerville of the linked websites, or the information, products, or services contained therein. The City of Somerville does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. The City of Somerville bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
 

Support Neighbors

During this time when we are social distancing, it is still important to build community and connect with one another. Consider ways you can safely connect with your neighbors. Here are a few ideas: 

• Put a friendly sign in your window or start something like the rainbow hunt that neighbors started around Prospect Hill. Positive messages feel good to share and it can be a fun activity to try to find them when walking around. 
• Check in on a neighbor (staying at least 6 feet away) and offer assistance. 
• Leave a sidewalk note with chalk to a neighbor or friend that you miss visiting. 
• Are you musically inclined? Share a song from your porch with your neighbors or host a distant sing-a-long from your own porches or windows.
   

Donate the Value of Your P-EBT Card

Many families with children that attend Somerville Public Schools have received a P-EBT Card in the mail, which provides financial assistance to buy groceries. If you do not need the extra money to buy groceries and you would like to donate your card, please use the card to buy food for your own family and donate the value of the card to the Somerville Cares Fund which provides emergency financial assistance to families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
All families with children enrolled in the free breakfast/lunch program, and all families with children that attend universal free lunch schools (Somerville High School, Healey School, Winter Hill School, East Somerville Community School, and Next Wave/Full Circle) will automatically be sent a P-EBT card. For more information about P-EBT, please see Food Assistance.
 

Be Kind to Essential Workers

Essential workers like grocers, pharmacists, medical professionals, trash and recycling haulers, delivery drivers, and others are all doing incredible work helping our community during this pandemic. Show them some extra kindness during this stressful time by saying thank you and, if appropriate, tipping extra.