New, large vehicle will provide free COVID-19 tests as well as gifts at Gates Lane Elementary School, Net of Compassion, and Worcester Public Library.
WORCESTER, MA — This upcoming weekend, the WooSox Foundation will debut its “Care-A-Van,” presented by Bank of America, while providing gifts and performing acts of goodwill at locations throughout the Heart of the Commonwealth.
This afternoon from 12:45 – 1:30 p.m., the Foundation will visit students at Gates Lane Elementary School at 1238 Main Street, where last week the Worcester Red Sox launched the “WooSox Mentors” program in partnership with Worcester Public Schools and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts. The Foundation will bring small gifts for students and staff at the school, who will also be invited to tour the inside of the Care-A-Van.
Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., the Foundation will drive the Care-A-Van to Net of Compassion at 674 Main Street to donate blankets and other supplies. Net of Compassion is a nonprofit organization that directly provides food, clothing, shelter, showers, and recovery support to individuals on the streets of Worcester.
Afterward, the Care-A-Van will hand out 180 free COVID-19 tests (90 boxes) throughout the community, in partnership with the City’s Health and Human Services Department. Then, the Foundation will pass out small gifts at the Vaccine Equity Clinic taking place at Worcester Public Library, located at 3 Salem Square.
The inside of the Care-A-Van features a shower, toilet, sink, fridge, and couch. Books and clothing items will be stored inside as well.
The RV fits eight people while in motion but can accommodate up to 15 when stationary. The outside of the vehicle is wrapped by WooSox Foundation artwork, as well as the Bank of America logo, and the logo of Camping Word, where the RV was purchased.
Established on January 28, 2020, the WooSox Foundation comprises four pillars: education, social justice, conquering cancer, and diamond sports. The Care-A-Van will become a staple of the social justice pillar by expanding the Foundation’s presence within neighborhoods, groups, and communities in the City of Worcester and throughout Central Massachusetts. It will be used to deliver food, clothing, and other supplies, as well as a space to provide job readiness support, medical services, and other forms of aid.
The Care-A-Van’s ribbon cutting ceremony with members of the WooSox and Bank of America will be held in the coming weeks.
“We’re committed to keeping our community healthy, stronger, and connected,” said Ed Shea, President of Bank of America Central Massachusetts. “Partnering with the Worcester Red Sox on the Care-A-Van will allow us to address local needs and create opportunity for our friends and neighbors. We are particularly pleased to be associated with the WooSox and their fans, who have brought so much excitement and energy to the area.”
“This Care-A-Van, made possible by Bank of America, is a bold and visible step in our efforts to use the goodness of baseball to help achieve social justice and community unity,” said Dr. Charles A. Steinberg, the President of the WooSox and the WooSox Foundation. “As we use this vehicle to enhance the lives of families in our region, the imagination is our limit—and our imagination is unlimited. We thank Bank of America for this generous and impactful contribution. We look forward to touching thousands of lives, one at a time.”