Vilnius gifted 2,000 reusable face masks to lonely seniors

 

As the Lithuanian government is moving ahead with quarantine easening, free food support to the most vulnerable people is replaced by reusable face masks. Lonely seniors, the disabled and others Vilnius residents at risk, little by little start moving around the city, supermarkets, therefore, Vilnius Municipality decided to gift them reusable face masks with the symbol of the capital and flyers with recommendations on how to protect yourself.

The first nine weeks of quarantine at the initiative of Vilnius Municipality, the most vulnerable group of Vilnius residents – lonely seniors, the disabled and parents raising children alone, who had no opportunity to go out for shopping, – were temporarily provided with free food support and, if necessary – medicines and hygiene products. During this period, around 2,000 Vilnius residents applied for such a support. Every week they received food packages with long lasting food products. In total, the Municipality devoted for that about 10,000 Euros.

“Although the battle with the first wave of the virus has been won, the fight is not over. We must protect the most vulnerable groups of people – we have taken care of the protection of doctors, we also want to help seniors, anytime they go out – to do it safely. Of course, the recommendation for them to visit closed supermarkets as less as possible, is still valid, but we have great open spaces where they can spend their free time” – said Vilnius mayor Remigijus Šimašius.

From this week, all of them will receive a symbolic gift – stylish reusable face masks with the symbol of Vilnius and flyers with recommendations. Free food support will not be provided from now, but those having greater difficulties, still may continue to contact the hot line for paid assistance – specialists from the capital’s Municipality, together with volunteers, will try to find ways to deliver the most essential goods by prepaid payment.

The quarantine line 1664 has already received more than 8,000 different emergency calls to date. Employees of the Municipality, scouts, volunteers of the Lithuanian Red Cross, the Sovereign Order of Malta, “Maisto Bankas” and other active volunteers-helpers rushed to help Vilnius residents.

If the seniors asked, during the strictest weeks of the quarantine, the volunteers brought them hygiene products and essential medicines, which were bought by Vilnius City Municipality. The diligent tireless volunteers of “Maisto Bankas” helped daily to deliver the products, and uniformed scouts of the Vilnius region of Lithuanian Scouts helped them also a lot. A lot of volunteers also worked in the warehouses where they helped a lot to prepare the food packages.

Vilnius City Municipality would like to thank all the organizations that contributed and are still contributing to the providing assistance to the most vulnerable groups.

Marketing and Communication Division, [email protected]