The Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation Provides $10,000 Grant to the Greater Boston YMCA for COVID-19 Vaccination Site

Hyde Park, MA – April 6, 2021 – The Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to the YMCA of Greater Boston to support the operations of their COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Thomas M. Menino branch. The site is a collaborative effort between the Department of Public Health, Boston Medical Center (BMC), and the Menino YMCA (Menino Y) to distribute the vaccine to residents of Hyde Park and surrounding communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. Rockland Trust is also partnering with the Menino Y to offer designated parking at their Hyde Park River Street branch so the clinic can accommodate more vaccine appointments.

"The YMCA of Greater Boston aims to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to serving the most vulnerable children, families, and seniors in the communities we serve. Our vaccine site at the Menino YMCA in Hyde Park is providing equitable access to a community that has been most devastated by the pandemic," said James Morton, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston and Board Member of Rockland Trust. "We sought partners with trusted names, in the Hyde Park neighborhood, like Rockland Trust, to ensure that all felt welcome and cared for. It is the Y's mission, along with our partners, to fight health disparities and provide transformational change for underserved populations."

The vaccination site is open in the gym from 7-11 AM and 5-9 PM and serves 400 individuals each day. Having early morning to late night hours helps provide flexibility to essential workers and others who aren’t able to take time off from work for an appointment. In addition, the Menino Y provides ease of accessibility for those who use public transportation, as it is in walking distance from both bus lines as well as the MBTA and commuter rail stations. Additionally, as part of the COVID relief efforts, the Menino Y is serving as an emergency food distribution site, a community learning center, an immigrant resource center and continues to provide their ongoing health and wellness activities for youth, families, and seniors. 

"Rockland Trust is honored to support the Menino YMCA’s vaccination clinic," said Edward Seksay, President and Chair of the Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation. "The clinic will grant vulnerable populations access to needed care. Programs like this strengthen the communities in which we live and work, and help build a more equitable future.”

YMCA staff is on site to welcome patients, answer questions, calm nerves, and be there to support members of the community. They are also serving as a resource fielding phone calls regarding scheduling and attending appointments. Additionally, the Y is leveraging its membership network and support center to help schedule appointments and connect people to transportation and language translation services. The Menino YMCA plays a vital role in vaccine access and addressing vaccine hesitancy among the populations they serve. They hope that by providing a convenient, familiar location and raising awareness about safety, they will increase the community's vaccination rates.