Dedham Officials Create Task Force

Press release from the Town of Dedham:

May 9, 2020

In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus, a group of Dedham town officials, staff and residents have formed a task force to support our residents during these difficult times. The town-sanctioned task force will be providing materials and information to Dedham residents, and will serve as a centralized entity to coordinate resources.

The Dedham COVID-19 Relief Task Force is also working to help launch a Dedham-specific fund designed to support Dedham residents struggling financially. Information about the fund, and how residents might contribute to help, will be available next week.

The task force has created a Resource Guide, which will be distributed to Dedham residents, and will be made available on the town website. The Resource Guide provides instruction on how to access various types of support for financial assistance, housing, food, utilities, childcare, and healthcare, as well as specific information for our senior community and for veterans. Residents who need help can call 781-751-9126 to be connected to resources.

In addition to the town fund, the Norfolk and Dedham Foundation has made a generous contribution of $10,000 directly to the Dedham Food Pantry. Joel P. Murray, President & CEO of the Norfolk and Dedham Group said “The N&D® Foundation is thankful to be in a position to support the Dedham community with a $10,000 contribution to the Dedham Food Pantry. The work done by the Dedham Food Pantry volunteers is incredible, and we are pleased to help them respond to the growing needs of many more Dedham residents during this extraordinary time. We also appreciate the work being done by Dedham town officials to create a task force to support those most in need during this unprecedented situation.”

According to Dedham Food Pantry Board President Brian Rogal, the number of seniors that received a delivery of food or were able to come to the Pantry has tripled recently, to over 100 households and, in addition to the seniors, the number of other clients coming to the pantry has also increased substantially.

“The $10,000 donation from the Norfolk & Dedham Foundation is an extremely generous donation. It will allow us to continue making sure that no one in Dedham needs to go hungry, no matter how long this goes on,” commented Rogal.

For more information about the task force, contact Select Board members Sarah MacDonald (smacdonald@dedham-ma.gov) or Dimitria Sullivan at dsullivan@dedham-ma.gov.

For information on how to be connected to resources, call 781-751-9126.

This press release was produced by the Town of Dedham. The views expressed here are the author’s own.