Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been sharing the stories of our partner agencies in the Quincy Metro Area who have stepped up in unique ways to provide needed services during the crisis. We’ve been inspired by their efforts and honored to have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the great work that can be done when dedicated organizations engage in collaboration and innovation. However, what we haven’t yet shared is the work that CHNA 20 has done to provide assistance and relief to the community. We have had our own role in caring for public health during this time, and have taken an active part in caring for our community.
The CHNA’s identity as a convening and connecting organization means that we are well-positioned to step up in both supportive and leading roles when challenges arise. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to take root in our region, our first response was to reach out to our partner agencies and find out where the areas of need were -- who was able to continue their services? Who would pivot to a new model? Who would require additional help through funding or collaborative efforts? Through our outreach, we were able to identify three partner agencies working on the front lines of the pandemic that needed immediate support: Wellspring Multi-Service Agency in Hull, the Quincy Housing Authority and Quincy Asian Resources.
Each of these three agencies was poised to increase access and address urgent community needs associated with food insecurity, safety and the isolating effects of the pandemic. To ensure that they were able to successfully complete their plans, CHNA 20 allocated emergency funding to support their work. Through our financial support, the three agencies were able to achieve tangible outcomes that benefited their clients:
CHNA 20 funds were used to purchase additional food items in Hull, supplementing standard weekly grocery boxes delivered by Wellspring Multi-Service Center to families in need and covering a portion of the associated fuel costs for deliveries;
Our funding also supported a new partnership between the Quincy Housing Authority and local taxi services, allowing for improved delivery of necessary food and pharmacy items to tenants in public housing as well as transportation to medical appointments;
And CHNA 20’s financial support allowed Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. (QARI) to assign additional 1:1 staff who could work with clients to increase their access to benefits and public resources, as well as perform weekly wellness checks during the pandemic.
The CHNA’s assistance to the community hasn’t been limited to financial support. In addition to the resources we provided to these worthwhile emergency efforts, we have also continued our work as a supportive collaborator behind the scenes on several regional initiatives. Recognizing the need for a more robust transportation solution for Quincy Housing Authority tenants, our team identified a viable funding opportunity and connected QHA with MAPC/Mass Development. The CHNA then provided technical assistance in scoping a project and conducting necessary outreach to help QHA find a potential transportation partner. Our assistance in crafting a grant application for a partnership between QHA and Shore Transit resulted in an award of $12,000 from MAPC, which will provide up to 20 rides per week for residents from three selected QHA sites to necessary medical appointments and essential activities of daily living.
The CHNA has also been working on improving health equity outcomes around COVID-19 for members of the Cape Verdean and Haitian communities in our region. Key informant interviews with Cape Verdean and Haitian residents of the South Shore have demonstrated that language and cultural barriers are restricting the access of these community members to timely information and interventions related to the COVID pandemic. Through CHNA 20’s relationships with key public health agencies, we were able to work closely with the Academic Public Health Volunteer Corps to facilitate connections with the Cape Verdean and Haitian communities in Randolph and Brockton. CHNA 20 and the APHVC are exploring funding options to develop culturally relevant interventions that will improve equitable access to necessary information and support related to COVID-19. We hope to be able to provide positive updates about this important collaborative work in the weeks to come.
Although CHNA 20 has been a longtime force for public health equity in the Blue Hills region, our role in the community isn’t always clear to outside observers. We hope that this update on just a few of our key efforts over the past several months will help demonstrate why organizations like the CHNA, who primarily function to make connections and build collaborations between partner agencies, are so valuable to communities -- whether during times of crisis, or as a long-term champion for greater health equity for all.