Jun 30, 2020
The pandemic keeps Posts in District 7 Massachusetts from meeting in person, but they are as active as ever in caring for their communities and fellow veterans.
Local Post Commanders were tasked with conducting wellness checks for every member on the Post roster. For both young and old, District 7 wants to make sure veterans dealing with unemployment, isolation, depression or hunger get whatever help they might need.
“With a community at risk for suicides, these conditions can exacerbate an already delicate balance that many veterans teeter on after finally arriving at a place of normalcy,” said District 7 Commander Troy Henke.
“Our elder veterans have an added risk of food insecurity and some can’t perform simple maintenance around their homes. Apply the lockdown protocols and they can become extremely vulnerable.”
Working with other local organizations, Posts were able to distribute food and help to military veterans and families in District 7.
The VFW’s commitment to service in the state over several years also led to a seat on the governor’s COVID-19 Task Force. They were asked to collect donations for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and face shields. In District 7, this was handled by Posts 8503, 8006, 7352 and 872.
Posts 8006 and 872 in particular received PPE donations which were given to the National Guard and stored at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) warehouse for use at hospitals.
“It was a classic top-down coordinated mission which was highly successful at a time when these items were in high demand and short supply. It contributed greatly to the overall state response to the COVID-19 crisis in one of the most infected states in the country,” Henke said.
Posts and members in District 7 stand ready to serve wherever they’re needed now and in the months to come.