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In Roxbury, neighborhood organizations are also adapting to fit residents’ needs during the pandemic. Madison Park Development Corporation is a nonprofit based in Roxbury that provides residents with programs related to nutrition, affordable housing, financial literacy, educational and work development and health and wellness resources. Typically, these events are held in the development corporation’s air conditioned buildings, but those spaces are now closed indefinitely due to social distancing.
Before the pandemic, the development corporation hosted art and theater events at Hibernian Hall, which has air conditioning. During a heat wave, their organizers would stay in contact with residents, many of whom are of older age, through phone checkups and delivering care packages, which included water and informational letters about ways to stay healthy through the heat.
But now, with public centers closed, staff at Madison Park are concerned about residents’ access to hand sanitizer, cloth face masks, food and water.
To cope with these challenges, Madison Park’s resident service coordinators have begun delivering supplies and checking up on residents regularly by phone. They also provide updates on the latest news regarding COVID-19, as well as guidelines on how and when to practice social distancing.
Read the entire article as is originally appeared on The Scope: Boston here.