Tri-Cities families ‘adopted’ during coronavirus outbreak. Others also step up to help

Businesses and other groups throughout the Tri-Cities are offering help to individuals and to nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Adopt-a-Family’ program

A new “Adopt-a-family” program is bringing together Rebuilding Mid-Columbia and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to serve vulnerable members of the Tri-Cities during the coronavirus lockdown.

Rebuilding Mid-Columbia has switched gears from offering no-cost home repairs to low-income homeowners. Instead, it has joined efforts with IBEW to the same folks support while following stay home orders during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Rebuilding Mid-Columbia works to pair IBEW volunteers with a community member who will receive weekly wellness checks, grocery shopping and delivery services, as well as pharmacy pickups, if needed.

IBEW members’ family also are chipping in by sewing masks to be delivered to elderly and chronically ill individuals participating in the Adopt-a-Family program.

For more information, call Cystal Carter, executive director of Rebuilding Mid-Columbia at 253-753-8324.

Second Harvest grant

Greater Columbia Accountable Community of Health is giving a $300,000 grant to Second Harvest to help feed residents struggling to make ends meet because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Second Harvest is estimating the cost of gathering food and distributing it will increase by as much as 275 percent, or almost $600,000, because of the outbreak.

The Spokane-based organization that distributes to 45 food banks throughout the region is estimating expenses will grow to $763,500 in the next three month, said Holly Siler, Senior Vice President of Projects.

Brian Gibbons, Greater Columbia’s board president, and CEO of Astria Sunnyside Hospital, said the assistance will “help struggling families re-allocate their limited resources to other pressing matters such as rent, utilities, medicine, and transportation.”

Greater Columbia is collaboration of community leaders from a variety of sectors in 10 counties with a common interest in improving health, says its website.

Free physical therapy

A local rehabilitation clinic is offering free online physical therapy appointments for people working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Oasis Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab, which has four locations in Tri-Cities, joined a national program called PT for Heros. They will offer the services to doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.

“Such long work hours can lead to tightness, pain and even the development of some overuse injuries with these professionals, and that’s where physical therapy can help immensely,” she Mindi Irvine, CEO and founding member of the clinic. “We want to make self-care more possible and available to them so they’re able to continue doing their jobs, which are so critical right now.”

To register for appointments, call Oasis Physical Therapy at 509-416-0444, option 9.

Business grants available

While limits on small business emergency grants were reached in several counties across Washington, grant applications still are being accepted from Benton and Franklin counties.

“Working Washington Small Business Emergency Grants” will provide up to $10,000 as companies struggle with the fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak.

Up to $5 million in funds are being provided through the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Fund and administer through the State Department of Commerce, which announced earlier this week that the limits were reach in 17 of Washington’s 39 counties.

Blood drive campaign kick-off

Three blood drives are being held by Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., on April 17.

Newhouse is holding the blood drive in Moses Lake, Kennewick and Yakima to help meet the community’s needs for a stable supply, he said.

Kennewick’s drive will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Benton PUD Auditorium, 2721 W. 10th Ave.

To make an appointment to donate, call 877-258-4825 go to www.DanNewhouse.com and click the blood drive tab.