In April, The Bronx Community Relief Effort was launched to help Bronxites recover from COVID-19. Recently, the the nonprofit launched a website in four languages to help fight through the crisis.
On June 16, Derrick Lewis, founder and chair of The Bronx Community Relief Effort, who also sits on the board of DreamYard, established “Help for The Bronx,” which provides fast, clear, multilingual, streamlined access to critical resources for families, students, business owners and everyone in the community. The website offers access in four languages: English, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Arabic.
In addition to hosting “Help for the Bronx,” The Bronx Community Relief Effort also offers a link to the free search and referral website called my.BronxImpact.org, which connects all people in need with existing programs in the Bronx. Searching via their zip code, residents can find information for over 3,000 Bronx based programs and services for food, shelter, health care, work and financial assistance. The site can be viewed in over 100 languages, offering accessibility to the diverse population in the Bronx.
Lewis, 37, a lifelong south Bronx resident, felt it was imperative to help the Bronx, which was hit hard by COVID-19. He hopes with this new website, people can begin to recover and get the assistance needed to get back on their feet.
“The Bronx is the most underserved community in the entire country in terms of health disparity, economic security, housing inequality, food insecurity, access to the digital future and equity and justice for our people,” Lewis said. “Bronx residents are inundated with multiple websites, newsletters, and resources to provide support to them during the COVID-19 health pandemic. The “Help for The Bronx” platform was built to be a single, multi-lingual source for Bronxites to identify the necessary resources during COVID-19 and beyond.”
Lewis said “Help for the Bronx” also includes downloadable social media assets so users can help spread the word.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with so many wonderful Bronx organizations who are providing critical on-the-ground support to Bronx residents, but we need help spreading the word about “Help for the Bronx,” he said.
