SALEM – Highrock North Shore Church will be giving away free face masks to Salem residents every Sunday throughout the month of June.
Parish member and Nurse Practitioner Hillary Linihan said she organized the giveaway after she realized a persistent need for face coverings in some communities, even months after Massachusetts declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It appears there’s still a large need out there for any type of mask,” she said. “You still see people with scarves and socks and all kinds of things, so we wanted to provide masks for people simply so they have protection to even go to the grocery store and not have to use something ineffective.”
Residents can pick up the masks between 12 and 2 p.m. on June 14, 21, and 28 in the city parking lot located at 297 Bridge Street, Salem. There will also be a giveaway on Wednesday, June 17, 5 – 7 p.m.
“We’re doing a drive-through where people stay in their cars and we distribute the masks to them,” said Linihan, a Salem resident.
Highrock Pastor Aaron Engler added that the masks will hopefully help protect some of the city’s more vulnerable residents for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
As of June 11, Salem has seen 617 cases of COVID-19, including 29 deaths.
“We want to be sure that access to resources is not a barrier to their ability to stay safe,” Engler said. “We’re committed to providing basic needs for (residents’) health and safety.”
According to Linihan, Highrock Northshore is prepared to hand out 300 cloth masks — which will be given out first — and over 500 disposable masks.
She also added that now the state has begun to reopen and people are allowed to move about more freely, making sure everyone has access to sturdy masks is a priority.
“When (this pandemic) first started, we weren’t sure how long this was going to last and when we would all be coming back out into the public,” she said. “But once we realized masks were going to be around for a long time, that’s when we decided we wanted to provide that for people.”
Mayor Kim Driscoll has praised the giveaway for allowing easier access to important — and potentially lifesaving — protective equipment.
“Facial coverings are so important for protecting (against) and preventing the spread of the virus, and the more access people have to quality face coverings, the more likely they are to wear them, which will hopefully curb the transmission and spread,” she said.
