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Haverhill city officials, business leaders, neighbors and friends turned out Thursday morning for the dedication of a new handicapped access ramp at the Mount Washington neighborhood-based Somebody Cares New England.
The $105,000 ramp replaces an earlier one that was damaged and restores public access to the nonprofit food pantry, youth center and provider of other services for low-income Haverhill residents. It also allows the city to resume using the 358 Washington St. building as a voting location for Ward 1, Precinct 1. Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright explained “The polling location legally has to be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible.”
The City of Haverhill paid for the ramp with a combination of federal Community Development Block Grants and American Rescue Plan Act money.
Mayor James J. Fiorentini and City Councilor and Mayor-elect Melinda E. Barrett jointly cut the ribbon with Somebody Cares New England Executive Director Marlene Yeo and Food Pantry Director Nomsa Ncube, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Alexandria Eberhardt, state Rep. Ryan M. Hamilton, City Councilor Joseph J. Bevilacqua, Police Chief Robert P. Pistone and other city leaders.
Besides operating a walk-in food pantry, Somebody Cares New England provides groceries to the elderly through its mobile food pantry twice a month; operates a youth center for those between the ages of 7 and 18; hosts free community paint nights, community block parties, basketball and creative arts camps; and other services.