Wellesley Coronavirus Relief Fund Raises Over $5K

WELLESLEY, MA — In a fifth round of grant funding, the Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund is awarding $5,360 to local non-profits and Town departments to fund a voter education program and to purchase equipment needed to produce reusable personal protection equipment for local hospitals and frontline workers in Wellesley.

These most recent grants bring the total amount of money awarded by the Relief Fund to nearly
$55,000 in only five weeks.

The Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund is a partnership between The Community Fund for Wellesley,
an endowed fund of the Foundation for MetroWest, a tax exempt 501(c)3 organization, and the
Wellesley Board of Selectmen, that addresses unmet needs in our community resulting from the
Coronavirus crisis.

Grant proposals are reviewed by the members of the COVID-19 Relief Fund
Committee which is comprised of community members, elected officials and staff from the Town of Wellesley, and are awarded to local non-profits and Town departments on a rapid and rolling basis.

• Educating voters: The Wellesley League of Women Voters is receiving a grant to reprint
voter information yard signs to promote the new date, time and location of the upcoming
Wellesley Local Elections. The original election date of Tuesday, March 17 was changed due
to the Coronavirus crisis. In-person voting for the rescheduled elections will take place on
Saturday, June 13, 2020 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Babson College Recreation and Athletic
Center. Residents may also request a ballot by mail to vote safely from home.
• Printing reusable personal protection equipment (PPE) to keep frontline workers safe: A
grant administered by the Wellesley Youth Commission will fund the purchase of two 3D
printers and a two-and-a-half month supply of filament for a student-led, three-person
team producing critical N95 masks and face shields that will be donated to Wellesley
hospitals and frontline workers. In just over two months, the 3D printers can produce
11,000 pieces of PPE. The lifespan of the printers is 5-10 years. When the Coronavirus crisis
has passed and PPE is readily available again, the printers will be used for Youth
Commission projects.

The PPE printing project was conceived by Wellesley High School junior Seth Tobin, with assistance from Ben Lublin and Devon Barker. For Tobin, the project reflects his faith and personal values of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and community.

“When this pandemic hit, Ben, Devon, and I knew that we needed to step up and help because the
challenges we face are only going to be solved if we work together as one community. Producing
reusable personal protection equipment (PPE) including N95 masks, face shields, and ear
protectors for use in Wellesley has allowed us to incorporate these principles. We are incredibly
thankful for the overwhelming amount of support we have received,” he said