Milford Covid relief fund shuts down

The Milford Covid Relief Fund has announced it is shutting down and disbursing remaining funds to the Milford Community House and to the Pike County Emergency Services Initiative Fund at Greater Pike Community Foundation.

“While the Covid pandemic is not over, Milford residents, businesses and workers are much better equipped today to protect themselves and their communities,” Dr. Doug Manion, an infectious disease specialist and member of the Milford Borough Council, said in a press release issued earlier this week. “With 67 percent of Pike County residents vaccinated with at least one dose, and more than 56 percent fully vaccinated, we have made a lot of progress.”

Milford Mayor Sean Strub added: “The Covid pandemic highlighted how important it is for us to provide sanitary facilities for visitors to Milford, which is why we are donating $5,000 to the Milford Community House’s long-term plan to provide lavatory facilities for the public. We also are giving $5,000 to the Pike County Emergency Services Initiative Fund at Greater Pike Community Foundation to provide training for emergency services personnel.”

Relief fund raised $70,000 since March 2020

The Milford Covid Relief Fund was formed in March 2020 by Manion, Strub and present or former Milford Borough Councilmembers Frank Tarquinio, Annette Haar, Luke Turano and Joseph Dooley to address the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses, residents and workers in Milford Borough.

Over the past three years, raised and contributed more than $70,000 to provide:

· Sanitation supplies (masks, hand sanitizer, disinfecting bleach, disinfectant wipes) to more than 100 local businesses and non-profit organizations;

· Grants to the Ecumenical Food Pantry and Pike County Area Agency on Aging for food pantry and delivery programs;

· Direct assistance (for rent, utilities, etc.) to individuals living or working in Milford Borough who were affected by Covid, through the Milford United Methodist Church’s Community Outreach program.

‘A caring and generous’ community

“The Milford United Methodist Church was blessed to partner with the Milford Covid Relief Team,” said Liz Steen, the Milford United Methodist Church Community Outreach programs coordinator. “We witnessed first-hand how the generosity and compassion of those who supported the fund helped neighbors and workers in our community during very difficult days. The assistance we were able to provide took the form of assisting with immediate basic needs: rent, food, clothing, medicine, as well as working with several local restaurants with a meal voucher program.”

In addition, the MCRF coordinated a wide-ranging public education campaign (billboards, signs, radio and media campaigns), mask-making by more than 40 volunteers, organized vaccination clinics and “Ask the Doctor” informational Zoom calls.

“Our community is caring and generous,” said fund co-founder Luke Turano. “The Milford Covid Relief Fund provided a way for all of us to provide support and know it will help others in our community.”