LYNN — Shaw’s is partnering with the YMCA of Metro North to provide healthy food, flu shots, and COVID-19 vaccine clinics at YMCA locations in Lynn, Melrose and Peabody, as well as at the YMCA’s summer meals food distribution sites at Curwin Circle and Neptune Towers in Lynn.
As part of a $50,000 grant from the Shaw’s Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors Community Relief Fund, the YMCA of Metro North will transport Shaw’s volunteers to their branch sites and to mobile food distribution sites using its newly acquired Y on the Fly van.
Healthy food will be provided in each location, along with flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines and diabetes prevention information for participants.
“It’s really important to our company that we are an active community partner to help organizations like the YMCA of Metro North make a direct impact on the lives of our neighbors,” said Shaw’s District Manager Eric Aguiar. “We are thrilled to work with the YMCA and support their efforts to keep our communities healthy this fall by providing nutritious food to children and families and encouraging everyone to get their flu and COVID shots.”
The Shaw’s and the Albertson Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors summer meals grants help organizations that work to bridge the nutrition gap for students without access to school meal programs during the summer break.
Kathleen Walsh, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro North, said her organization wants everyone to stay healthy this fall, and volunteers, like the team from Shaw’s, are exactly what’s needed right now to help out.
“There is still so much ground to recover after COVID, and we are not out of the woods yet,” Walsh said. “We continue to provide food to children in our programs and at mobile distribution sites in our community, and with partners like Shaw’s we can hope to see the end of food insecurity in our region, as well as the end of this pandemic.”
Interested community members can receive healthy food, flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines free of charge at the following locations: Demakes Family YMCA, at 40 Neptune Blvd., on Tuesday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to noon; Neptune Towers, 130 Neptune Blvd., from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; Curwin Circle from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m., in front of the recreational center Tuesday through Friday; the Torigian Family YMCA in Peabody, at 259 Lynnfield St., on Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and the Melrose Family YMCA, 497 Main St., on Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 1 to 3 p.m.
For more information, contact the YMCA of Metro North at 978-548-5068.
