The Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation announced Wednesday that it has received a second $200,000 grant from the commonwealth for Covid relief, allowing it to continue to provide rent relief, child care and other support to relieve economic hardship brought on by the pandemic. The state funding came through the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
With the state money and private donations, the foundation said to date it has been able to provide over $875,000 in Covid-19 support including:
• $300,000 for rental relief to 64 households and their landlords, including about a dozen previously homeless individuals living in motels. About a of the households are Brazilian and approximately a third of the total households are families with children. The relief is provided through Dukes County Regional Housing Authority, and Martha’s Vineyard Community Services.
• $50,000 for transportation needs administered by Community Services for VTA tickets and off-Island medical transportation costs.
• $50,000 to the Island Food Pantry to supplement supplies from the Greater Boston Food Bank with fresh vegetables and dairy, with a portion directed toward Island Grown Initiative’s summer lunch program for children.
• $35,000 to help with tuition for qualified families of preschool children at Island preschools.
• $40,000 to assist in covering utility costs, administered by MV Center for Living.
• $5,000 for public health dentists to perform critical oral care for Islanders with Mass Health who have no access or ability to pay for dental care.
• $34,450 to support medical interpretation training and salaries to improve health care communication between Island Portuguese-speaking residents and the medical community.
“This is exactly what the foundation is set up to do — to be a conduit and steward of available funds to help Islanders most in need,” said foundation executive director Emily Bramhall in the announcement.
Comments
Comment policy »