FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 8/20/2023
For further information, contact:
Susan Scully Petroni
City of Framingham Public Information Officer
spetroni@framinghamma.gov
508-782-8629
City of Framingham Partners With Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association To Organize Donations For Refugee Families
FRAMINGHAM - The City of Framingham is partnering with the Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association to collect and organize donations for the refugee families in the City of Framingham in three hotels.
On Sunday, August 13, the City had 12 families with 39 individuals and 18 children in one hotel.
As of today, August 20, the City now has families in three hotels.
There are 10 families in a second hotel and more than 30 families in a third hotel.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has indicated to the City that more families are due in August and September.
Some of these families will be here until the end of September and some of these families will be here through the end of October. Both stays could also be extended by the Commonwealth.
With the first wave of families, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts had the Jewish Family Service of MetroWest oversee the families.
No provider has been assigned to the more than 40 families in the two additional hotels.
With the first set of families, the City organized and collected donations at two fire stations.
With now more than 40 families, the City is collaborating with Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association to collect donations at their churches, parishes, and temples.
Starting Monday, August 21, donations can be dropped off at Edwards Church at 39 Edwards Street in Saxonville on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon this week.
Temple Beth Sholom at 50 Pamela Road in Framingham will accept donations on Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon this week.
Additional churches, parishes, and temples will be added at a later date.
The families have no microwaves and no refrigerators in their rooms, for the most part. So we are only accepting the following donations:
- Shelf milk
- Juice boxes
- Instant oatmeal
- Individual-portion cereal boxes
- Granola bars
- Snack-size canned fruit
- Pedialyte
- Gatorade
- Children’s vitamins
- Tylenol (children’s & adults)
- Children’s flu & cold medicine
- Similac baby formula for under 1 year and 1 year
- Nestle Nido Kinder 1+
- Hot cocoa mix
- Snack-size apple sauce
- Snack crackers
- Dehydrated fruit
- Bags of oranges
- Bags of apples
- Bananas
- Mangos
- Loaves of French bread
- Sanitary pads of all sizes (not tampons)
- Adult underwear for men (small and medium) and (small, medium, & large for women)
- Dominos for adults
- Children’s books in Spanish, French, Portuguese, & Creole
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