The Boston Globe reports:
Before the coronavirus began to spread, there was already a demand for toilet paper and disinfectant in low-income communities. A new program called “pantry of essentials” launched over the weekend in Boston. ICNA Relief handed out bags of hard-to-get household essentials plus information about the virus in Arabic and Somali to 244 people in need.
“A lot of information is being distributed in English only” which patrons often speak but do not read, explained Malika MacDonald, director of the New England branch of the national organization
Families that struggle to afford household goods are even more vulnerable as people react to the spread of the virus by emptying shelves at grocery stores. “A lot of people were saying we shouldn’t be afraid and to trust in God,” recounted McDonald. “But having a full pantry is important too. We have an expression… we trust in God but we tie our camels.”
