The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $1.1 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse the City of Lawrence for the costs of providing meals and food for needy populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $1,127,637 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the city for the cost of operating a food pantry and providing meals as well as contracting to deliver meals to those unable to access food due to quarantine, those deemed high risk and vulnerable, and those facing food insecurity as a result of the pandemic between June 2020 and July 2021.

During that time period, a total of 84,470 meals were provided to elderly, low income, homeless, and COVID positive individuals in Lawrence.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the City of Lawrence with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.5 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

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