fb-pixelReceived your stimulus money and looking to donate? Here’s how you can help those affected by coronavirus shutdowns - The Boston Globe Skip to main content

Received your stimulus money and looking to donate? Here’s how you can help those affected by coronavirus shutdowns

These organizations are providing food, money and other assistance and could use your help.

The Greater Boston Food Bank is among the local nonprofits raising funds to help those facing hardships from the severe slowdown in business over the coronavirus spread.Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff/file

Stimulus money from the federal government has begun to arrive for millions, and if you’re among those who have not been hurt by the coronavirus shutdowns, you may be looking for ways to donate to those in need.

Many families are facing financial hardship, particularly low-wage service workers and other hourly employees, from the severe slowdown in business over the coronavirus spread.

A number of organizations are offering to them help, including providing free meals and in some cases money to pay bills. Here’s how you can contribute:

VOLUNTEER MATCHING

  • Boston Globe Media and boston.com have launched the Boston Helps website to direct donors and volunteers to specific needs, and to help those in need find appropriate resources.

FOOD RESOURCES

  • The Greater Boston Food Bank has organized several initiatives to help people in need and is looking for volunteers, donations and people to organize fundraising.
  • Project Bread is looking for donations to fund its “rapid response” effort for families.
  • YMCA of Greater Boston is offering meals and other services to Boston school children during the schools closure and is asking members to donate their fees to the effort.
  • The city of Cambridge and the Food for Free organization are looking for volunteers to help staff a free food distributions for students at local schools.
  • Penguin Pizza and other Boston area restaurants have formed Feeding the Frontline and are asking consumers to buy gift cards or leave extra tips when ordering food from participating establishments that they can then distribute to people in need. The restaurants will be also distributing food to health care workers and first responders and vulnerable populations.

RELIEF FUNDS


HEALTH CARE

  • The American Red Cross is seeking blood donations to prevent shortages during the medical response to the virus.

PETS



Advertisement




Andrew Caffrey can be reached at andrew.caffrey@globe.com. Follow him @andrewcaffrey.