FEMA Awards Funds to Massachusetts for COVID School Testing Costs

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BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $64 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of contracting to provide testing services in public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The $64,144,440 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the cost of contracting to provide testing at schools and in public buildings in surrounding communities between February 2021 and June 2022.
 
The contractor provided services which included operations and logistics of pooled testing, training, software, and technical assistance to school personnel.
 
The contractor also provided transportation for a total of 907,829 COVID-19 test specimens from approximately 2,400 public schools across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the laboratory for analysis.
 
"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Massachusetts with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation's ongoing recovery."
 
FEMA's Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
 
So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.7 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.
 

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Companion Corner: Dolly at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is an affectionate kitty at Berkshire Humane Society looking for a new home.

Dolly is a 1-year-old domestic shorthair with white and tabby markings who has been at the shelter for a short amount of time.

Feline/small animal adoption counselor Alyssa Petell introduced us to her.

"Her name was actually inspired off of Dolly Parton because she came in on the day that Dolly Parton passed away," she said. 

The shelter doesn't have a lot of information on Dolly as she was a stray, but knows she is very sweet.

"She was originally found as a stray. So we don't have much background information as to exactly what happened and why she ended up becoming a stray," Petell said. "Unfortunately, a lot of times kitties will become abandoned and become strays or get left behind."

Dolly needs a home with no other cats and will prefer somewhere quiet because she can get a little shy and nervous at times.

"She doesn't like other cats. I think a quiet home, older people would be best for her, just because of her shy personality in the beginning," Petell said. "But she eventually will warm up, and she is a lovely lady."

Dolly loves to be pet and might even play with some feather toys. Like any other cat, she will let you know when she has had enough pets but will be back for more shortly after.

"She loves butt scratches. She's super affectionate. She actually does have a little bit of a playful side when she gets used to you, and she just wants to snuggle with you and be loved on all day long," said Petell.

Dolly is healthy and will join your family up to date with all of her vaccines.

"She doesn't have any health issues. She is spayed, and when you adopt a kitty from our shelter, the adoption fee does include everything medically wise. So their spay or neuter, their vaccines, their health certificate from the vet, everything is included. So she will have all of that done before she goes," she said.

One of her ears is clipped to show she has been spayed as she was a part of the Community Cat Program, but since she was so friendly, the Humane Society decided to adopt her out.

"She was originally caught as a stray from our community cat program. They normally work with trap, neuter, return for feral, semi-feral cats, or friendly strays, and when she was caught, they realized that she was very friendly, and she was then brought into our shelter so we could adopt her out," Petell said.

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