Medford Coronavirus Update: 389 Cases, Relief Fund Started

MEDFORD, MA — The number of positive coronavirus cases in Medford is nearing 400. The case count stood at 389 as of Thursday, April 16, according to the latest numbers from the city.

Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and the Medford Chamber of Commerce announced the launch of the COVID-19 Relief Fund this week. With the help of community and in-kind donations, the fund will support both local businesses and community members in need during the public health crisis.

Through Venmo, GoFundMe and checks mailed to the Medford Chamber of Commerce, community donations will support local restaurants, which will pay it forward through meals to local nonprofits. These meals will be given to community members in need.

Lungo-Koehn said the idea for the relief fund came after learning of a resident's contribution to a local restaurant to make 90 meals for senior citizens.

"Despite the impact that the COVID-19 health crisis is having on small businesses, those who have the means to do so have shown incredible goodwill to their community members and stepped up to the plate, literally, to provide food to residents in need," Lungo-Koehn said in a statement. "I know that so many have been feeling the strain as a result of the pandemic, but I’ve also heard from business owners and residents alike who are eager to volunteer or to help their neighbors in so many different ways. It’s my hope that this relief fund will provide some critically needed assistance to our community members most in need and provide a bit of cash flow to our restaurants and take out establishments."

Participating restaurants will be encouraged to determine a fixed menu for organizations to order from when fulfilling meal orders for the residents they serve. For example, a donation of $25 could provide a family of four with a locally cooked dinner or a donation of $1,000 could feed up to 100 senior citizens who may currently be unable to leave their homes. The business will retain a portion of the donation to support the restaurant itself.

HOW TO DONATE

There are three ways to donate:

1. Venmo: @medfordchamber, or www.venmo.com/medfordchamber
2. GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid19-Medford-relief-fund
3. By mail: Send a check to the Medford Chamber of Commerce, One Shipyard Way, Suite 302, Medford, MA 02155.

HOW TO ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM

If you are a Medford restaurant and would like to enroll to be part of the relief program, email John Costas, president of the Chamber of Commerce, at jcostas@medfordelectronics.com.

If you are a non-profit organization currently serving Medford residents and would like additional information on receiving meals for your constituents, email Covid19info@medford-ma.gov.

In addition to the relief fund program, the City of Medford and its community partners have been sponsoring Grab n' Go food options over the last four weeks to serve community members in need with meals and groceries. For a full list of organizations and locations, visit www.medfordma.org/food-resources-in-medford.