T-shirt salutes front-line workers while engaging in fight for food security

Dorchester non-profit and charitable apparel maker United Senergy is placing its new “Everyday Heroes” t-shirt at the center of its fundraising campaign to battle food insecurity in Boston neighborhoods, an initiative brought about through a partnership with Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center and Haley House. 

The t-shirt design pays tribute to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic by portraying a row of first responders, food service workers, postal workers, and healthcare professionals in front of a backdrop incorporating flags representing nations from around the world, signifying the global nature of the pandemic as well as America’s melting pot of diversity and inclusion with everyone coming together to combat the crisis.

“I wanted to create a design that honors everyone making their way through this difficult time, doing their best to survive and help others,” said United Senergy CEO and Dorchester resident Danquell Bradford. “I wanted to thank the first responders, the grocery store workers, the bus drivers, the postal workers, cleaners, moms and dads and grandparents…the people who stay home as well as those out there on the front lines…in this unprecedented crisis, we are all everyday heroes.

“When we looked at what role we could play in this crisis, we wanted to make sure people in our community were not going hungry. We wanted to use our resources to raise funds to make nutritious food available to them,” she said.

The Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center Food Pantry has seen a sharp increase in requests for food as thousands of residents lost their jobs in a community where many families and seniors were already struggling to pay rent and buy food.

Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center CEO Stan McLaren noted the uptick in an interview with the Reporter last month and emphasized the pantry’s need for immediate financial support.

“We appreciate United Senergy’s compassion and are grateful for their generosity,” said McLaren. “Our Food Pantry is one of many ways we make a difference in the lives of our patients and local residents. Each week we provide food to many families and seniors and the support from United Senergy’s campaign will enable Harvard Street to further address food uncertainty in Dorchester and surrounding communities.”

Haley House is also seeing an increase in need. For more than 50 years, it has been a vital resource of nutritious food programs in Roxbury and the South End, applauded for its Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, Urban Farm, Take Back the Kitchen cooking classes and social enterprise Bakery Café in Nubian Square.

“We are grateful to United Senergy for stepping up in this way,” said Bing Broderick, Executive Director, Haley House. “This partnership will help to alleviate food insecurity for our neighbors and deepen our impact during this crisis.”

The “Everyday Heroes” t-shirts are available for individual purchase and bulk orders. Organizations and companies can have their own logo and message imprinted on the back of the shirts.

To purchase t-shirts, donate to the fundraiser, or learn more about the campaign, visit unitedsenergy.org.


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