Lending a Helping Hand: COVID-19 Relief Donations in the Community

As COVID-19’s impact in the state grew through early Spring into Summer, every town, city and organization in the commonwealth were affected to some degree. Health care professionals and community-based organizations essential in providing medical services, food, clothing, and mental health, consistently supported those affected most.

These essential workers and organizations require large amounts of PPE and hand sanitizer to continue their critical operations to flatten the curve and provide humanitarian care. With shortages in these supplies mounting over time, several businesses stepped up to provide relief when needed most.

The Sira.Community team leveraged existing relationships within the community to find out which organizations were most in need and identified how best to lend a helping hand. Given Sira’s supply-chain-management sourcing ethanol and protective gloves and wear for employees, Sira partnered with these local communities as well as state and local agencies to aid in hand sanitizer production and PPE donations.

The Sira Extractions Team, which uses ethanol as a precursor for its cannabis extractions, helped produce over 50 gallons of hand sanitizer for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). MEMA collected the bulk sanitizer and allocated them to hospitals and medical facilities most in need.

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In addition to hand sanitizer production, Sira’s Government & Community Relations Team worked with Nurse Harris at the Somerville Human Health Services Office to donate 2,000 gloves and 2,000 masks. Beyond Somerville, the Sira Team partnered with the Cape Verdean Association, Korean American Association, and Educational Divide Reform (EDR) Institute to donate 3,000 masks and almost 1,000 gloves to the city of Brockton, a community where a high number of low-income immigrants are being infected by COVID-19. Additional front-line organization donations include the Boston Police Department which received 250 masks, 200 pairs of gloves, and seven bottles of hand sanitizer.

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During this difficult time, Sira is grateful to be able to help communities while continuing their own standard of quality and care. As the state of Massachusetts begins to work on opening back up, Sira will continue to integrate itself further into community partnerships above and beyond the people and organizations affected most by the coronavirus.

Topics: Community Investment, COVID-19