Distribution of masks continues with Ward 3 and 4 residents this weekend, June 6 and 7 at NBHS

New Bedford, Massachusetts– MaskNB, an initiative announced by Mayor Jon Mitchell in partnership with the Southeastern Massachuestts chapter of the American Red Cross and Joseph Abboud Manufacturing Corporation, will continue mask distribution this weekend, June 6 and 7, at New Bedford High School’s parking lot.

Distribution began last week, with thousands of masks provided to residents of Ward 1 and Ward 2. The distribution of cloth masks at no cost to City residents continues with Ward 3 and 4 residents this weekend, as the distribution is organized by Ward. The distribution will be done through an organized drive-through system for cars, observing social distancing. Residents are asked to limit their mask requests to those in their household and/or any elderly or vulnerable neighbors (who have been advised against leaving their homes).

  • On Saturday, June 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., residents of Ward 3 may pick up masks at New Bedford High School’s parking lot, 230 Hathaway Boulevard. Ward 3 contains many central areas of the city including the neighborhoods around New Bedford High School, the neighborhoods on and around Hathaway Road, most of Sawyer Street and its intersecting roads, and the neighborhoods off Mount Pleasant Street between Austin Street and Nauset Street.
  • On Sunday, June 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., residents of Ward 4 may pick up masks at New Bedford High School’s parking lot, 230 Hathaway Boulevard. Ward 4 is located in the center and south of the center of the city, including the downtown area, most of the streets between Elm and Parker Street, including Kempton Street east of Rockdale Avenue and its intersecting streets, and the neighborhoods to the south of the downtown, along Purchase Street south to Rivet Street.

Residents of Ward 5 and Ward 6 may pick up masks the weekend of June 13 and 14.

Any resident who is unsure of the Ward in which they live may visit wheredoivotema.com and enter their address. This website provides polling location, and the first information noted is the Ward in which the resident lives. Residents do not need to be registered voters to use this online tool.

Under the MaskNB distribution plan, interested residents in each of the City’s six Wards will have an opportunity to obtain free cloth face masks at New Bedford High School, 230 Hathaway Boulevard, on the following assigned dates and times:

  • Ward 3             Saturday, June 6 – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • Ward 4             Sunday, June 7 – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • Ward 5             Saturday, June 13 – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • Ward 6            Sunday, June 14 – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Ward 1 and Ward 2 distribution took place last weekend. The dates are listed at www.masknb.com. Additional dates may be announced based on available supplies.

Residents should arrive at the main vehicle entrance of New Bedford High School, located at 230 Hathaway Boulevard, and remain in their vehicles as Red Cross volunteers hand out masks based on their requests. Residents are asked to limit their mask requests to those in their household and/or any elderly or vulnerable neighbors (who have been advised against leaving their homes).

Mayor Jon Mitchell announced the MaskNB initiative on May 14. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the wearing of cloth face coverings in public where social distancing is difficult to maintain; cloth face coverings are not a substitute for medical-grade masks, but provide more protection against the spread of viruses than not covering one’s face. More information about the use and effectiveness of cloth face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html.