Haverhill service clubs came together recently to donate medical masks for frontline workers serving food pantries, nursing homes and nonprofits who service large volumes of the city population.
Exchange Club of Haverhill, Rotary Club of Haverhill, Kiwanis Club of Haverhill and Pentucket Kiwanis Club partnered with Deanna Milone Bonanno, owner of Scrubs Etc. Uniform Company in Methuen to donate medical masks to those in need. Working with the city, the alliance distributed 5,000 masks.
“During the early weeks of the COVID emergency shutdown, Exchange Club of Haverhill and other local service clubs worked to explore ways that we could provide support to our community. In that time, it was evident that the need for masks and PPE was high. The need was especially true for front line workers and community organizations who are servicing our community front lines and those who are caring for the most vulnerable populations like the elderly, the homeless and individuals with disabilities,” said Meghan Mclaughlin, club president.
Allison Heartquist, Mayor James J. Fiorentini’s chief of staff, coordinated the mask requests through the city’s 311 service. Equipment went to 12 healthcare facilities as well as food pantries, laundromats and some food service establishments. Heartquist said two drivers come to City Hall, pick up the daily requests and deliver them. “Some days there are over 50 individual addresses,” she noted.
Bonanno and her company assisted the effort by procuring medical masks at a low cost. Each club committed financially, collectively donating $5,000.
Rotary Club President Megan Shea said her organization also worked with Exchange to donate 250 flowers to health care workers at Haverhill’s Holy Family Hospital. Hundreds of flowers were left outside of the hospital to greet nurses and doctors as they left their shifts. Balloons lined the fences and each flower adorned a small tag with phrases praising their hard work during the trying times.