With More Than 40 Refugee Families Now In Framingham, City To Take Donations

FRAMINGHAM, MA — When Framingham officials first said that asylum-seeking families had been placed in a local hotel, donations came in by the truckload. Now, as more families have been moved into hotels across the city, officials are putting up the bat signal again.

Framingham officials said that, as of Sunday, more than 40 refugee families are living in three hotels across the city. On Aug. 13, the city had 12 families living in one hotel. As of Sunday, that number has increased to at least 40 across two more hotels.

Now, as the city expects more families to arrive at the end of the month, city officials are set to again collect donations for the families, many of whom could be here through the end of September and October.

Framingham has partnered with the Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association to collect donations at their churches, parishes, and temples, officials said.

Starting Monday, donations can be dropped off at Edwards Church, 39 Edwards St., in Saxonville on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon this week.

Temple Beth Sholom, 50 Pamela Rd., in Framingham, will accept donations on Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon this week.

Additional churches, parishes and temples will be added at a later date, officials said.

The city is accepting these items — and only these items — for donation:

• Shelf milk
• Juice boxes
• Instant oatmeal
• Individual-portion cereal boxes
• Granola bars
• Snack-size canned fruit
• Pedialyte
• Gatorade
• Children’s vitamins
• Tylenol (children’s and adults)
• Children’s flu and cold medicine
• Similac baby formula for under 1 year and 1 year
• Nestle Nido Kinder 1+
• Hot cocoa mix
• Snack-size apple sauce
• Snack crackers
• Dehydrated fruit
• Bags of oranges
• Bags of apples
• Bananas
• Mangos
• Loaves of French bread
• Sanitary pads of all sizes (not tampons)
• Adult underwear for men (small and medium) and (small, medium, & large for women)
• Dominos for adults
• Children’s books in Spanish, French, Portuguese and Creole

This comes after Gov. Maura Healy declared a state of emergency in an attempt to address a state family shelter system that is so over-capacity, thousands of migrant and homeless families have been placed in hotel rooms across the state due to a shortage of shelter beds and affordable housing units.

Recent state Division of Housing Stabilization data said just under 1,400 families were being sheltered in hotels and motels across the state, with the state projecting that number could grow to 2,800 by the end of August. There are an estimated 5,555 families — a total of 20,000 individuals — in the entire state shelter system, including hotels.

Read more: Healey Declares State Of Emergency Over Strained Family Shelter System