Resource Database
Search below for opportunities to get help, give help, or donate to people in your community.
City of Boston
Who can get help: All youth and teens in Boston
What: The City of Boston, in partnership with Project Bread, YMCA of Greater Boston, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, and other community organizations, will provide free meals to all youth and teens at various locations and times across the City.
Material Aid and Advocacy Program (MAAP)
Who can get help: MAAP provides support to members of the Boston community who are unhoused and/or living in poverty.
Who can give help: Anyone who has material goods that could meet MAAP’s needs are encouraged to donate.
What: MAAP is supporting those who are unhoused through material aid, access to resources, and advocacy. During the COVID-19, they are focused on getting people who are homeless essential goods they need to stay healthy and survive.
Phone: 617.876.5312
Email: churd@maapma.org
Student Support Healthcare Workers
Who can get help: Healthcare workers with children are eligible to receive help.
Who can give help: Students who are a part of the Harvard community are encouraged to volunteer.
What: This is a centralized volunteer form for students to help healthcare personnel (custodial staff, doctors, nurses, etc.) at Harvard-affiliated hospitals by offering different services including childcare, running errands (grocery/pharmacy runs), remote work (linking volunteers+workers), and more.
Contact student.covid.response@gmail.com for questions.
Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services - Food Deliveries
Who can give help: Volunteers who have a car and are able to lift 15 pounds.
What: Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services needs volunteers next week (Week of March 30th) to pick up and deliver packs of frozen meals to our clients, to make sure they have enough food to get them through the crisis. Need is for 16-18 volunteers per day, most likely on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Volunteers will meet at an open space (possibly a football field in Everett), load the meals from our caterer into volunteer’s cars, and then each volunteer will be given a route to deliver the meals in Somerville and/or Cambridge. Time of meeting likely between 9 and 10:30 am.
Volunteers need to submit a CORI form, and should reach out out to Colleen Morrissey:
Phone Number: 617-628-2601 ext. 3152
Email: Colleen.Morrissey@eldercare.org
Massachusetts Mutual Aid Networks
Who: People living in Massachusetts
What: Mutual Aid networks are set up in times of crisis to help neighborhoods with emergency response. This community-sourced google doc contains info for many neighborhoods in Massachusetts, including neighborhood point people, grocery information, lost income support, and more.
MA Unemployment
Who can get help: Residents of Massachusetts who have lost their job due to COVID-19.
What: State funded assistance online application.
Boston Artist Relief Fund
Who can get help: Individual artists in Boston
What: Relief fund that provides grants of $500 and $1000 to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture Artist Relief Fund
Who can get help: Individual artists living in Boston
What: Grants of $500 and $1000 to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
Emergency Grants - New York Foundation for the Arts
Who: Artists living in New York City, Boston, Seattle, or Columbus, Ohio.
What: Website providing links to organizations in; Boston, Columbus, OH, NYC, Seattle,
Massachusetts Mutual Aid Networks
Who can get help: People living in Massachusetts
What: Mutual Aid networks are set up in times of crisis to help neighborhoods with emergency response. This community-sourced google doc contains info for many neighborhoods in Massachusetts, including neighborhood point people, grocery information, lost income support, and more.
Greater Boston Food Bank SNAP
Who can get help: SNAP is for everyone—families, seniors, disabled, homeless, unemployed, employed, veterans, and active military. If you are within the income limits, you may be eligible.
What: GBFB also offers assistance with applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. SNAP benefits are put on an electronic card that is used like an ATM or bank card, and can be used at most supermarkets, convenience stores, and some farmers’ markets.
Contact: 617-598-5022
Food For Free COVID-19 Volunteer Response
Who can get help: Applicants must live in Cambridge, and because of a disability or impairment, be unable to use existing food pantries. Applicants must also qualify as low-income under HUD guidelines (less than $34,350 per year for one person).
Who can help: People living in or near Cambridge
What: Food for Free brings food to low-income Cambridge residents who are unable to access traditional food pantries due to illness or disability. Food for Free differs from meals-on-wheels programs because it brings groceries to people so that the recipients can cook their own food. It gives seniors and people with disabilities more control over their meals, while providing a supportive service that helps them to stay in their own homes.
Phone: 617-868-2900
Concerned to Go Out
Who can get help: Individuals in Boston concerned to go out due to physical or mental limitations
Who can give help: Individuals in Boston willing to travel and deliver items
What: Concerned To Go Out is a web-app built by developers in Boston to connect those willing to travel and deliver items during the COVID-19 outbreak to those who are concerned to go out, due to either physical or mental limitations
Contact: concernedtogoout@gmail.com