21,000 ready-to-eat meals provided to residents
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Somerville Public Schools and the City’s Emergency Food Pantry are serving a growing number of residents each week.

This week the City of Somerville distributed 4,000 facial masks to residents in senior living facilities across the city. In other city efforts to aid residents during the crisis, 21,000 meals have also been distributed to families by the Somerville Public Schools and roughly 1,700 persons per week are receiving groceries from the city.

“Getting masks to our seniors was a top priority. Our older residents and those with underlying health conditions are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 and we must do what we can to help protect them. We are advising our seniors to wear these masks when in common areas or out in public to help protect their neighbors and ultimately themselves,” said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “I also want to thank our Council on Aging and Department of Public Works for their quick work in distributing these masks throughout the city.”

Along with the masks, residents also received information about how to wear them safely, other COVID-19 safety precautions, and where to find resources and supports should they need them.

As another support measure, throughout the crisis the Somerville Public Schools (SPS) and city have been distributing food to a rising number of residents. Over the past five weeks, SPS has distributed more than 21,000 meals to families, more than 4,000 of them just in the week of April 12, at four sites. Separately, the City’s Emergency Food Pantry, which was established at the outset of the COVID-19 crisis, provided food for nearly 700 households – or about 1,700 people – during the week of April 12 through a combination of deliveries and pick-ups. Again, the number of families receiving groceries via the pantry has also been steadily growing.

“While our community is dealing with so much uncertainty, we don’t want residents also worried about where their next meal will come from,” said Mayor Curtatone. “If you need help accessing food, please reach out and make use of these services.”

The Somerville Public Schools are distributing meals to residents from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Monday through Friday at the following location:

• East Somerville Community School, 50 Cross St.
• Arthur D. Healey School, 5 Meacham St.
• Winter Hill Community Innovation School, 115 Sycamore St.
• West Somerville Neighborhood School, 177 Powder House Blvd.

Residents can access the Emergency Food Pantry by filling out an online form. Groceries are available for pickup and the pantry is steadily expanding deliveries as well. Please call 781-747-8198 for more information or with questions.

More information on available state and federal food access programs, cash assistance, and unemployment and business assistance, as well as guidance on how to use or make masks or facial coverings can be found on www.somervillema.gov/coronavirus.

For more information and regular COVID-19 updates, visit www.somervillema.gov/coronavirus and sign up for City alerts at www.somervillema.gov/Alerts. We urge you to sign up for every alert method you are able to receive: phone call, text, email. Also follow FB.com/SomervilleCity and @SomervilleCity.