LUDLOW — A new recovery home for first responders diagnosed with COVID-19 set up by the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department has received a $50,000 donation from Country Bank, the department announced Friday.
The First Responder Recovery Home, which opened Tuesday, is located at the sheriff’s department’s Pre-Release Center on Alabama Street in Ludlow. It has 84 single-occupancy rooms for first responders who are infected with the coronavirus and cannot safely quarantine at home due to the possibility of infecting vulnerable loved ones. Two rooms were occupied as of Friday morning, sheriff’s department spokesman Robert Rizzuto said in a statement.
Country Bank’s gift brings the total amount of community donations to more than $87,000, Rizzuto said. The Ware-based financial institution’s contribution comes with the aim of inspiring similar organizations to support the recovery home, an initiative of Sheriff Nick Cocchi’s, the statement said.
“I can’t thank Country Bank enough for stepping forward and making this donation to help our first responders in this time of unprecedented need,” Cocchi said in the statement. “Their donation will help us provide top-notch care for the people who usually care for us, and a comfortable environment for the people who come running when we are in need in our daily lives. This is our time to help the helpers. It’s the least we can do.”
The recovery home is free of charge for doctors, nurses, EMTs, police, firefighters, corrections professionals and military personnel in the community who need a place to recover from COVID-19 that’s away from vulnerable family members. Residents at the recovery home must be able to care for themselves, although “a pool of voluntary medical professionals from the community led by Ludlow physician Dr. Shaukat Matin” will be making rounds, the statement said. The sheriff’s department will coordinate transportation for those who need more comprehensive medical care.
“These are challenging and ever-evolving times as we face the continued uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and how it will impact our region,” Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank, said in the statement. “We care deeply about our communities, and wanted to show our appreciation and support for first responders, health care workers and their families throughout the region when they need it the most,” he said.
“The First Responder Recovery Home will allow first responders to rest a little easier knowing they have an alternative place to recover should they become infected by the virus,” Scully said.
First responders can call (413) 858-0801 or (413) 858-0819 to request a room or get more information. The sheriff’s department will take the person’s full name, gender and expected length of stay, among other information, and all correspondence will be kept confidential, according to the statement.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the First Responder Recovery Home initiative can send tax-deductible donations to: Criminal Justice Organization, 627 Randall Road, Ludlow, MA 01056. Check memo: “First Responder Recovery Home.”
Michael Connors can be reached at mconnors@gazettenet.com.