Washington NAACP hands out masks, voting information
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Community members made a “thank you” sign for the restaurants and volunteers at the Washington Christian Outreach Center who have been distributing meals to people in need in the community for the past three weeks.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Lynnelle Goins, of the Washington NAACP, and Andrew Goudy, president of the Washington NAACP, handed out masks and voting information to people Wednesday in front of the Washington Christian Outreach Center on Highland Avenue in Washington, where people have been picking up free meals.
Members of Washington’s NAACP handed out masks and voting information Wednesday outside their headquarters on Highland Avenue.
Andrew Goudy, president of the Washington NAACP, said the organization wants to contribute to slowing the spread of the virus, and making sure people have access to masks is one way to help. Lynnelee Goins, a member, even made some masks to hand out Wednesday.
“I have a feeling masks are going to be around for a while,” she said.
Helen Dates, chairperson for the NAACP’s political action committee, said she mostly was helping community members apply for mail-in ballots and register to vote.
“The older people at risk are the ones that really want to go out and vote,” Dates said. “They know if they don’t vote, they’re giving up that right, which a lot of people had to fight for.”
Goudy said the ability to vote is “extremely important” this year, especially since the country has been significantly affected by the pandemic.
“People shouldn’t have to risk their health to vote, especially some of the older people in the community,” he said.
The organization also set up, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in front of the Washington Christian Outreach Center on Highland Avenue, where people have been stopping for the past three weeks to pick up free meals.
Christian Outreach has partnered with five local caterers and restaurants to serve more than 100 meals to community members in need during the pandemic. The organization started serving the meals around lunchtime in front of the center on Highland Avenue April 20, and have seen a steady increase since.
Assistant Director Debbie Boardley said the caterers prepare a meal that could serve 125 people. She said that on Tuesday, they came up one meal short, as 126 people stopped by for food.
She said the community has been very grateful for the meals, and even made a “thank you” sign for them.