The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

Covid-19*

News acorns

Curbside pickup for library materials starts Thursday

The Lincoln Public Library will begin offering contactless curbside pickup for items on hold starting Thursday, June 25 at 3 p.m. and will take place thereafter on Mondays and Thursdays from 3–7 p.m. Only staff will be allowed inside the building during this phase. Hours are subject to change due to weather; any changes will be posted on the library’s website at www.lincolnpl.org.

The library can offer only materials that are already on the shelves in Lincoln (books, DVDs, etc. — no Library of Things). The delivery service used by the Minuteman Library Network is working its way through the backlog of undelivered materials, so there’s no estimated date yet for when the interlibrary loan service will resume.

To request an item, place a hold using the Minuteman Library Network’s website, but choose only items that are listed as being available at the Lincoln location. Requests for materials from libraries other than Lincoln will be saved in the system and will be filled once the delivery system is up and running. You can also call the Reference Department at 781-259-8465 ext. 204 and the staff will place your hold for you. The deadline for requesting items will be Friday at 3 p.m. for Monday pickup, and Wednesdays at 3 p.m. for Thursday pickup. Items will not be available on the same day the request is made.

Once your item has been pulled, you will be notified either by email or by telephone depending on your MLN account preferences. We will ask you to select a Monday or a Thursday to pick up your items (you will have a choice among three dates). Due to a lack of storage space and the limited number of materials available for patrons, items must be picked up on the scheduled date; if not, they will be returned to the stacks, though you may re-request items.

Pickup
  • Each borrower will be limited to five items per pickup.
  • Items can be picked up only between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the Monday or Thursday that you selected.
  • All items will be checked out to you and placed in a bag with the due date slip inside and your name or MLN alias on the outside. Items will be placed on tables under our new tent in the handicapped parking spaces on Library Lane (the handicapped spaces have been moved across the lane.
  • Items cannot be switched out from bags. To request a different title, please follow the procedures listed above.
  • If you’re unsure of what items you’d like, you can fill out an adult or children’s book match forms and we will “match” you with your perfect book.
Returns
  • All library materials can be returned using the library’s outdoor book drop.
  • Items will still appear on your card after you return them, but the library has extended its grace period for fines from one day to four days to allow for items to be quarantined before staff checks them in.
Safety precautions
  • All library materials will be quarantined for at least 72 hours before they are pulled by staff. Proper sanitization will be done before and after the process of pulling books. Although not required by the Lincoln Board of Health for an extra measure of caution, you may wish to leave these library items untouched in your home for three days before enjoying them.
  • Patrons must adhere to social distancing guidelines and wear face masks. We will be marking the walkway on Library Lane to assist people.
  • Patrons are asked to not linger in front of the library after picking up their materials. Questions? Please email lincoln@minlib.net or call the library at 781-259- 8465.Staff will learn as they go and make changes as needed.

Virtual bingo night at the library

The whole family can participate in the Lincoln Public Library’s bingo night as caller extraordinaire Sally Kindleberger reads off the numbers on Wednesday, June 24 at 6 p.m. Registrants will receive a printable bingo card. For children of all ages. Limited to 20 families; email dleopold@minlib.net to register and receive a Zoom invitation ink.

Transfer station closed on Saturday

The Transfer Station will be closed on Saturday, July 4 due to the Fourth of July holiday.

COA posts July and August events

The Council on Aging’s newsletter and calendar of events for July and August are now available online.

 

 

Library adapts and expands services during pandemic

The banner provided by the Friends of the Lincoln Library features the Mason Cooley quote, “Reading gives us somewhere to go when we have to stay where we are.”

By Lucy Maulsby

A brightly colored banner sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Library hangs across the porch of the original brick building to remind patrons of the many ways in which the library nourishes the community and serves as a vital resource, perhaps especially as current events demand new forms of engagement.

Since the building’s closure on March 14, librarians have focused on making more expansive use of the library website and expanding digital resources. The library has purchased additional digital content and has been regularly updating the list of available “at home” resources as new materials become available.

Regular Zoom meetings with staff at other libraries have reinforced institutional ties and allowed resources and strategies to be shared across the state. The library also began its first-ever staff book group. “It’s been great to connect for team building, morale boosting, reader advisory sharpening, and just plain fun,” children’s librarian Denise Shaver said.

To connect with local communities, the library has increased its use of social media, encouraged patrons to reach out with questions via phone and email, and run programs virtually. “We miss seeing our library visitors in person,” reference librarian Kate Tranquada said. “Fortunately, we’ve been able to serve patrons online and by phone. The use of digital resources has skyrocketed since the state of emergency began. We’ve also enjoyed helping digital book beginners, walking them through the process over the phone.”

“We’ve been holding our regular book groups (Friday Morning and Uplifting Reads) via Zoom. It’s been really nice to connect with our regular patrons, and to see people who couldn’t attend our book groups before because they were at work,” said assistant director Lisa Rothenberg. The children’s department has actively continued its Together Time Tales and Books and Bites book groups virtually. “Online book club was different, yet we were able to to talk about the same things we would usually talk about at the library,” said rising fourth-grader Russell Reiner.

The library’s new reader advisory Book Match Program has also been an extraordinarily successful way of connecting readers to books at a time when librarians and patrons can’t meet face to face. “To date we’ve matched over 50 children to just-right-for-them books,” children’s librarian Debbie Leopold said. Families have also enjoyed Lincoln resident Tara Rachel Jones’s virtual yoga for toddlers classes. 

To prepare for a phased reopening, the library has been actively collaborating with town and state authorities and librarians. Immediately following the closure, custodians Bob Bottino and Bob Lager did a comprehensive deep cleaning, and library director Barbara Myles has been visiting the building periodically during the shutdown. Since June 1, the librarians have been working within the building (while staying six feet apart) re-shelving books and preparing to engage with patrons in new ways. Some of the staff are also working part of their schedules from home following guidelines set by Gov. Baker and the town to stop the spread of Covid-19.

In the next phase of reopening, the library will start offering contactless pickup. To facilitate this effort, the Friends of the Lincoln Library have generously donated a tent to be placed outside of the main entrance where patrons will be able to pick up books. For dropoff, patrons should return books through the book drop.

The library is working to develop new guidelines to support the opening of the library building to patrons. This phase will include rearranging workstations and computers, installing Plexiglass sneeze guards, etc., as well as implementing new circulation patterns to ensure social distancing protocols can be maintained and facilitate the cleaning of high-contact surfaces. 

The Children’s Room has planned a Virtual Summer Reading Program. Please check this library web page for a list of virtual programs for all ages, as well as suggested booklists (titles can be accessed digitally). The Summer Reading Challenge, a summer highlight for many in Lincoln, will be launched on Wednesday, June 17.

More recently, the conversations about social justice, race and anti-racism, and protests that have ignited communities around the country have served as a potent reminder of the library’s critical role as a source of diverse perspectives, histories, ideas, and information. To help support parents, the children’s librarians have posted a list of books to facilitate conversations about race. For adults, the library has referenced a list of books, a number of which deal with related topics, prepared earlier in the year for the community by the Lincoln School Committee. 

The library looks forward to continuing to provide resources for the community that confront the history of race in America and anti-racism, actively expanding its collection to reflect a diversity of perspectives and points of view and drawing attention to those resources. “We believe black lives matter and will participate in the effort to make real change in our community,” Myles said.

Lucy Maulsby is the School Committee representative to the library’s Board of Trustees.

Library to offer curbside lending soon, but FOLL takes a hit

The Lincoln Public Library is now accepting returns in its book drop and plans to offer contactless curbside pickup of books reserved online by patrons once a tent to cover its handicapped parking area has arrived.  

The book drop accepts returns of items borrowed from any library in the Minuteman Library Network. Nothing is due until June 30, and the grace period has been extended from one day to four days to allow items to be quarantined. Patrons will still not be allowed in the library building for the time being. 

Meanwhile, the Friends of the Lincoln Library (FOLL) has taken a big hit since the advent of Covid-19, when Bemis Hall was closed to donations of used books and the monthly book sales were halted. But the FOLL is once again collecting used books and is now selling them online via Amazon.com.

Residents can drop used books in the bins at the Lincoln Mall and Tracey’s Service Station, where they’ll be collected by FOLL’s online book sales partner and kept in a warehouse for several days before any of their staff touches them (no books will be handled by Lincoln’s FOLL volunteers). Books that meet the threshold for profitable sale will be offered online for buyers searching for used book titles, and FOLL will receive a percentage of the profit from the sales to support the library’s needs. Books that don’t meet the threshold will be donated by FOLL’s  partner to organizations that need books, such as prison libraries and children’s book foundations.

Please do not leave books at Bemis Hall. To protect the health of the seniors who receive services from the Council on Aging in Bemis, any books left there will be discarded immediately. CDs, DVDs, or any item other than books cannot be accepted. Anyone who would like a receipt form for donations may email FOLL@lincolntown.org.

Supporters can also have Amazon.com donate 0.5% of the price of their eligible purchases to the FOLL. Go to smile.amazon.com and specify “Friends of the Lincoln Library Inc” as your charity of choice; the donation will be made automatically for all of your Amazon purchases thereafter. Click here for more information.

The FOLL funds all of the library’s special programs, projects, and special equipment. Given the age profile of its volunteers and the cramped quarters in the Bemis Hall basement where monthly book sales take place, they don’t expect to resume the sales until a vaccine for Covid-19 becomes available. Click here to donate directly to the FOLL.

My Turn: donate to South Sudanese affected by pandemic and racism

Editor’s note: for more background on the SSEF, see “South Sudanese organization offering programs in Lincoln” (September 19, 2017).

By Ellen Meyer Shorb

In this time of thinking about race and what each of us can do, I’d like to acknowledge a wonderful local organization, the South Sudanese Education for Families, and suggest you consider donating to them. What they need right now is money.

SSEF was started 20 years ago by Susan Winship of Lincoln to support the “lost boys” of South Sudan who escaped a civil war to come to Massachusetts. SSEF now supports their families. Many of you have helped over the years.

Due to the pandemic, almost all of these families have at least one person who is unemployed. Several have fallen ill and two have been hospitalized because of the virus. Consider a donation to the SSEF Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund.

In addition, the Black Lives Matter protests have brought up painful thoughts of how racism has touched each of their lives. SSEF is addressing institutional racism by providing scholarships for preschool education. Many of these families are not able to send their kids to preschool because of cost. State assistance programs, such as preschool vouchers and Head Start, are overwhelmed with applicants. This year there are 31 South Sudanese children who want to go to preschool and SSEF hopes to provide up to 95% of their tuition. Contribute to the preschool program here.

For questions, text Susan Winship 781-424-8774. Thank you for your generosity.

Ellen Meyer Shorb
99 South Great Rd., Lincoln

”My Turn” is a forum for Lincoln residents to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

News acorns

Chat with Lincoln’s public health nurse

Do you have questions about Covid-19 prevention, transmission, symptoms, or treatment? Are there other concerns you have about seasonal health issues such as ticks and Lyme disease or EEE? Do you have general health questions? Join Tricia McGean, Lincoln’s Public Health Nurse, on Wednesday, June 10 at 10 a.m. via Zoom. Tricia will answer your questions and provide you with accurate and science-based information To attend, email bottumc@lincolntown.org. Advance registration required. 

Contribute to the town’s Covid-19 time capsule

To preserve our recollections of this time, the Lincoln Public Library is starting a digital Covid-19 time capsule. Everyone is invited to submit recollections, photographs, and videos. You can submit materials as many times as you want — daily, weekly or when you come across something that makes an impression on you. We would like to make the items and reflections open to the public, but we will only publish them or make them available in our archives with your permission. Click here to make submissions to the time capsule. If you have any questions or need assistance, please email lincoln@minlib.net. The time capsule form can also be found on the library’s website.

Town recognizes eighth-graders

The Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the Town of Lincoln and especially its eight-grade students, proclaimed the days of June 9 and 10 as “8th Grade Class of 2020 Days” within the Town of Lincoln. The proclamation was approved at the board’s June 8 meeting

Kids’ summer reading program event next week 

The Lincoln Public Library’s Children’s Room Summer Reading Program kick off Wednesday, June 17 from 1–6 p.m. (rain date: June 18 at the same time). Children and families are invited to drive to the library any time during that period to pick up summer reading materials, including information about virtual summer programs and the beloved Summer Reading Challenge. 

Families will remain in their cars while a masked staff member greets you and safely hands the reading materials to a masked family member in your car ready. The library is discouraging arrivals on foot or by bike and is asking all participants arrive and remain in their car. Come see what costumed character is on the lawn waving hello. Anyone with questions may email dleopold@minlib.net.

deCordova announces Cronin lecture speakers

Artists Mark Dion and Dana Sherwood will be the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum’s 2020 Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture speakers in a live event taking place virtually on Wednesday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. Dion and Sherwood often collaborate on projects that explore how dominant ideologies and public institutions shape our understanding of history, knowledge, and the natural world. Their work exposes the human desire to tame nature and impose traits and categories on animals, plants and natural phenomena. For this live event, they will share insights into their collaborative process and offer a view into their studio practice from Copake, N.Y., where they live and work.

The artists’ collaborative installation, Conservatory for Confectionery Curiosities, is currently on view at the deCordova. Recalling a nineteenth-century horticultural hothouse, the octagonal windowed structure houses a display of what appears to be jellied desserts covered in insects partaking in the sugary sweets. Conservatory emphasizes how humans construct heightened, artificial versions of nature, particularly in cultivated gardens and sculpture parks.

“We’re excited to present this unusual opportunity to visit with Mark and Dana in their studios. Their work offers imaginative and often fantastical explorations of some of today’s central issues, including the relationship of humans to the natural world,” said John Ravenal, vice president of arts and culture for the Trustees of Reservations and the deCordova’s artistic director.

The lecture series was established in 1981 to consider topics broadly focused on changing attitudes towards contemporary art. The Cronin Lecture series is made possible by a generous grant to deCordova from the Grover J. Cronin Memorial Foundation. For more details and to register for the webinar, visit decordova.org/calendar/cronin-2020.

Correction

The June 2 story headlined “The Commons has fewest Covid-19 deaths among area facilities,” contained on incorrect figure for the number of Covid-19 cases reported at the Sunrise in Weston assisted living facility. The correct number is less than 10, not 10–30.

The article has been corrected and also updated with a list of facilities in neighboring towns that did not appear on either of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health lists in its May 27 report (Long-Term Care Facilities With 2+ Known COVID Cases and Facility-Reported Deaths, and Assisted Living Residences With 2+ Known COVID Cases): 

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Concord Health Care Center
Artis Senior Living
Brookhaven/Gardenview
Lexington Health Care Center
Wingate at Sudbury
Merriam Village
[/lgc_column]

Concord
Lexington
Lexington
Lexington
Sudbury
Weston

The Commons has fewest Covid-19 deaths among area facilities

By Alice Waugh

The Commons in Lincoln has accounted for 16 of the town’s 36 cases of Covid-19, and all of the seven fatalities in Lincoln were residents of the facility who had additional medical issues, Lincoln Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean reported on June 1.

The virus has hit nursing and assisted living facilities especially hard nationwide, since their residents are usually elderly and often have comorbidities (two or more chronic diseases) as well as living in close quarters. Staff members often work at more than one facility, which may have increased cross-facility infection, especially earlier during the pandemic. Thirty-one staff members at The Commons have tested positive for the virus and 28 of them have recovered, McGean told the Board of Selectmen on June 1. 

One hundred fifty-four residents of independent living units at the Commons were recently tested over a two-day period, and all were negative, McGean said. Those residents have been quarantined in their apartments and cottages, getting meals and groceries delivered outside their doors by staff.

“If you don’t go out, you can’t catch this virus,” she observed.

All staff and residents at The Commons are now being routinely tested going forward, said McGean, who praised the facility for its transparency with its residents and officials as well as its efforts in limiting infection control with personal protective equipment, isolation, and quarantining.

In a bit of good news, The Commons has seen fewer deaths than all but one of the long-term care facilities in the area, according to data posted on May 27 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). The Campion Center, a 70-bed nursing home for Jesuit priests in Weston, has had one patient who contracted Covid-19 and 12 staff members who tested positive, and all 13 have recovered, said Executive Director Nick Gilbert. As of May 27, Weston had 106 cases among its 7,527 residents, state records show.

As a percentage of its patient capacity, the 42-bed Rivercrest Rehab and Nursing (part of Newbury Court in Concord) has had the most deaths at 29% (12 deaths), closely followed by the 40-bed Royal at Wayland Nursing and Rehab Center at 28% (11 deaths).

McGean also reported that seven Lincoln residents have had an antibody test for Covid-19. She noted last month that a positive antibody test could mean isolation for the person until they got a different test to see whether they currently had the virus. The DPH still recommends this, but in a sign of the rapidly evolving public health guidelines, the federal Centers for Disease Control has withdrawn the same recommendation. “Right now we’re getting two different stories,” she said.

There are no facilities in Lincoln that offer testing for active infection with Covid-19, though there are now hundreds of testing sites all over Massachusetts.

As the state slowly reopens, McGean’s work will now include educating staff at summer day camps about infection prevention. Gov. Charlie Baker announced this week that camps and child care centers can open as soon as June 8 with restrictions.

Click the arrow within a column header to sort by that column:

Long-term care facilities with 2+ known Covid cases and facility-reported deaths

TownTotal
cases		DatePopulation
(2010)		Cases as %
of 2010 pop.
Lexington1514/15/2033,4800.45%
Weston654/13/2012,0670.54%
Bedford*644/15/2014,1260.45%
Sudbury494/13/2018,9400.26%
Wayland264/10/2013,7200.19%
Concord224/13/2019,3230.11%
Lincoln164/12/206,7260.24%

* Staff and residents
** Cumulative COVID-19 deaths – includes residents only

Assisted living residences with 2+ known Covid cases

TownPopulation (2010 census)
Lexington33,480
Concord19,323
Sudbury18,940
Bedford14,126
Wayland13,720
Weston12,067
Lincoln6,726

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Area facilities that do not appear on either list:

  • Concord Health Care Center (Concord)
  • Artis Senior Living (Lexington)
  • Brookhaven/Gardenview (Lexington)
  • Lexington Health Care Center (Lexington)
  • Wingate at Sudbury (Sudbury)
  • Merriam Village (Weston)

Covid-19 growth is slowing in the area

While cases of Covid-19 are still increasing in Lincoln and surrounding towns, the curves are flattening and rates of increase are slowing. For comparison, here are the total number of cases and cases per 100,000 residents in some larger cities and towns. (Source: Mass.gov)

Year20092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
TTHMs (ppb)36.854.229.356.169.274.773.773.7837983

Click either chart to enlarge:
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Lincoln physical therapist transferred to the front line

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Heather Broglio (front right) and her Beth Israel colleagues with bags of snacks made for the staff by a Bedford woman.

Heather Broglio and her husband Mike (holding a cupcake on his birthday), who works in information technology for the hospital’s anesthesia department and has been rolling out a new software system to be used in the operating rooms.

[/lgc_column]Lincoln resident Heather Broglio, who’s a physical therapist in ordinary times, has been pinch-hitting in a new capacity during the Covid-19 crisis.

“I am usually a outpatient physical therapist that works at [Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital’s] Lexington and Chestnut Hill sites but, when the epidemic started and our caseloads were cut drastically, the hospital took its staff and redeployed them in the hospital to where they would be needed,” she said. “Some people ended up handing out masks or scrubs and some of us ended up being redeployed to respiratory therapy.

“Respiratory therapists are the complete unsung hero in this whole epidemic. They are in charge of the vents, adjusting parameters, keeping them running and managing the tubing going from the ventilators into the patient; taping the tubing and holding it secure if the patient is moved. A strategy that has worked well with Covid patients is called proning and is basically having someone placed on their stomach while on a ventilator. This allows better airflow into the lungs.

“When we were redeployed to respiratory, we were trained to tape the tubes to keep them from coming out of the patient when they are moved [to the face-down position], and then to hold the head and the tube as they move from front to back and the reverse. In regular times, at BI there may be 20-30 vents in use; currently [May 14] there are 72 in use — and this is down from the maximum that were used. There was no ‘prone team’ before the epidemic, so the hospital created the team to free up the respiratory therapists to do other vital functions. It’s really amazing the amount of people redeployed in the hospital and how well it all works.”

News acorns

Bella Wong of L-S agrees to contract extension

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee has announced that it has finalized a three-year contract extension with Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong. “We appreciate Ms. Wong’s work and dedication over the past seven years and are thankful to have her experience and leadership as we navigate the challenges caused by the pandemic. We look forward to working together as we confront the current crisis while continuing to move the District forward,” the panel said in a statement.

The School Committee also announced the hiring of Kirsteen Patterson as the Director of Finance and Operations for a three-year term beginning in July. Patterson brings many years of experience in public school finance, serving most recently as the Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Administration for the Medford Public Schools.

Watch town’s Memorial Day observance online

Lincoln’s traditional Memorial Day event has been cancelled. But the veterans of Lincoln and the Parks and Recreation Department have organized a brief and respectful ceremony at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 25 and everyone is invited to watch on Facebook Live by clicking here.

LLCT hosts Wildlife Bingo

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust is hosting virtual Wildlife Bingo on Wednesday, May 27 for wildlife bingo. You’ll see some of the same birds as the previous Bird Bingo, along with lots of other fun reptiles, amphibians, and mammals of New England. Prizes will include gift cards to local businesses and LLCT swag. Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive a zoom link, and we’ll email you further instructions and your bingo card. You’ll be able to access your bingo card from a browser, or you can download and print the card.

The event is limited to 20 households, each of which will receive one set of bingo cards. If you register and find yourself unable to attend, please update your RSVP on Eventbrite so we can offer that spot to someone else. Click here to register.

How to talk to teens about relationships

Join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable (DVR) and their partners at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence for a webinar entitled “How to Talk to Teens About Relationships” on Wednesday, May 27 from 9:30–10:30 a.m. This training is designed for parents, educators, clergy, and community members who interact with teens. The one-hour workshop will explore adult and teen perceptions of teen dating violence, discuss messages and barriers that uniquely impact youth relationships, and provide strategies to address these barriers when talking with teens. Registration is required and can be completed by clicking here or on the REACH website. Email Youth Education Specialist Molly Pistrang at molly@reachma.org with any questions.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the DVR is continuing its activities and programming. At the outset of the pandemic, the Roundtable donated $20,000 to five domestic violence agencies for emergency services. If you would like to help, please visit the DVR website for further information.

Drumlin Farm program provides fresh food for the needy

The Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary is helping to provide fresh vegetables and eggs to Cambridge families in need. Each week, Drumlin delivers some of its sustainably grown produce to Cambridge, where Food for Free of Cambridge distributes it to those facing food insecurity, a situation made more dire because of the coronavirus.

Drumlin Farm has also been providing healthy produce to the Cambridge Public School system cafeterias for school lunches since 2017. With school districts shut down statewide and most of its client restaurants also on pause, the sanctuary was determined to keep growing food and ensuring that underserved communities would be a priority — hence the Drumlin Farm Food Donation Project. 

Sanctuary Director Renata Pomponi said this collaboration also offers a great opportunity in a time of stress and uncertainty for businesses and individuals to contribute meaningfully to the moral principle that people should have enough to eat. “It’s inspiring to work with Food For Free and other local hunger relief partners on such a worthy project, especially in this time of COVID-19, and generous donors are already stepping up,” she said. To support these efforts and learn more, visit the Drumlin Farm Food Donation Project website.

High school seniors recognized

The Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the Town of Lincoln, has officially proclaimed Sunday, June 7 as “Class of 2020 Day” in Lincoln to encourage everyone to support opportunities for graduating seniors, recognize their contributions and achievements.

Help for those with financial difficulties due to Covid-19

Many people in the Lincoln community are experiencing financial distress due to the Covid-19 crisis. The Council on Aging’s Emergency Assistance Fund and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Financial Assistance Program and Food Pantry are working together to help. Please contact the Council on Aging (bottumc@lincolntown.org or 781-259-8811) or the Society of  St. Vincent de Paul at St. Julia Parish (781-899-2611 or svdplincolnweston@gmail.com) if you are a Lincoln resident and:

  • Will not be able to pay your rent or utility bills once the State of Emergency is lifted
  • Cannot afford food, medication, health insurance, or other essential health-related costs
  • Are going into credit card debt to pay essential bills
  • Have other financial challenges that threaten your ability to live safely in our community

You may contact either organization for a private and confidential consultation to determine what services and benefits you may be eligible for, including possibly payment of some bills.

Both organizations are funded entirely by grants and donations. To make a donation to the Council on Aging Emergency Assistance Fund, please send a check payable to the Town of Lincoln with a memo line of “Emergency Assistance Fund” and addressed to COA c/o Town Offices, 16 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. To make a donation to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, please send a check to St. Vincent de Paul, PO Box 324, Lincoln, MA 01773.