WOODLAWN — Fresh produce from the Greater Chicago Food Depository and more than 7,000 disposable masks will be handed out by the Chicago Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity Saturday.
Members of the historically Black fraternity will also hand out a limited supply of KN95 masks to healthcare professionals, offer free coronavirus testing and register people to vote from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Edward G. Irvin Foundation Achievement Center, 500 E. 67th St.
More than 300 families received food at the fraternity’s most recent distribution in February. Saturday’s distribution will be the first since the coronavirus pandemic began.
“The virus hit and we closed down for obvious reasons,” said James McMurray, chairman of the Senior Kappa Affairs Committee, which organizes the distributions. “We’ve been in contact with the Food Depository regularly, trying to come back and serve our community as safely as possible.”
Future giveaways will be held the fourth Saturday of every month, with the next one scheduled for July 25. All are held at the Achievement Center in Woodlawn.
“The only thing we require [of those seeking produce] is the number of members in their household, their name and ZIP Code,” McMurray said. “We would serve anyone in Cook County that shows up.”
Christian Community Health Center of Washington Heights and Premier Urgent Health Center of Kenwood will provide the coronavirus testing, which will be offered until testing supplies last.
Social distancing guidelines and other precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus will be taken, said Melvin Flowers, polemarch of the Kappas’ Chicago alumni chapter.
Block Club Chicago’s coronavirus coverage is free for all readers. Block Club is an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom.
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