Health

Once ground zero of the virus, Chelsea slowly returning to normal

CHELSEA, Mass. — Three months ago when Boston 25 was in Chelsea, we saw hundreds and hundreds of people lined up for hours, waiting for food. Fast forward to mid-July, and there are several pop-up pantries across the city. It didn’t look as scarce, but people tell us, there is still a dire need for food, money, and jobs.

“I got milk in the bag,” said Bianca Melendez, who is just 10 years old.

Bianca Melendez was in line with her mom Magdalena.

The Melendez family is just one of the hundreds of families across the city that still needs help.

“It’s harder to find a job,” said Melendez.

Melendez, and like so many others around the world, they are still looking for a job.

“Two months there wasn’t enough money for rent,” said the 10-year-old.

At the height of the pandemic, in mid-April, hundreds of people from Chelsea and the surrounding cities lined up for hours to get food. The line was wrapped around block after block.

“Folks are struggling to put food on the table,” said Fidel Maltez who is with Chelsea Commissioner of Public Works, back in April.

Social distancing was hard for the city of immigrants, as it’s densely populated with mostly essential workers in the service industry.

“Our residents work in restaurants, cleaning services,” said Lourdes Alvarez, who is the assistant to the Chelsea City manager.

“We have people living undocumented, but at the same time, they are working in service, no one wants to do it,” said Alvarez.

Fast forward three months later, there are several pop-up pantries across the city.

On Friday morning, in the parking lot of Mary Burke School, as families picked up boxes of food, they shared their current situation with us.

“I care for my parents, they are elderly, and anything helps,” said Grace Flores who is from Chelsea.

“It’s been hard I’m not working, and not having a way to bring the needs to the house,” said Dory Davila of Everett.

For the Melendez family.

“We are trying to work harder,” said the 10-year-old girl.

Reporter Malini Basu asked the little girl, isn’t this hard for you? don’t you want your favorite toys? She said, no, it’s not hard. I’m just doing my chores and helping my parents wash dishes.

City officials want people to know, there is help out there. Call 311.

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