Lucinda Millin Home Residents Get Radios And COVID-19 Care Packages Courtesy of VIHA

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the territory’s low-income residents; especially its seniors.

To lift their spirits and help them stay sanitized against COVID-19, the Virgin Islands Housing Authority on Friday distributed CARES packages to the 65 senior residents of the Lucinda Millin Home on St. Thomas.

Bernice Joseph gets a case of water and other giveaways delivered to her room at the Lucinda Millin Home on St. Thomas courtesy of the Virgin Islands Housing Authority. (Photo credit: Patricia Borns/VIHA)

Cases of water, face masks, Clorox, puzzles and games … and the star attraction: Red Cross emergency radios were all given out to the elderly residents by VIHA.

Noreen Michael, Board Chairwoman of the Virgin Islands Housing Authority, helps Lucinda Millin Home resident Bernice Joseph operate her new Red Cross emergency radio on Friday. (Photo credit: Patricia Borns/VIHA)

“For someone living on a disability check, these items are a big help,” Lucinda Millin Home resident Bernice Joseph said of the face masks, Clorox and other items distributed by VIHA. 

The event was the first in a series of giveaways that VIHA will make in the coming weeks to at least 2,600 families in its public housing communities on St. Thomas and St. Croix thanks to a CARES Act coronavirus relief grant from HUD to help communities combat the virus and alleviate economic hardship.

The lobby of Lucinda Millin Home on St. Croix fills with music on Friday as Senator Marvin Blyden shows resident Iona Wattley how to tune her new Red Cross radio to her favorite station. The radios were part of a CARES package of goodies provided by the Virgin Islands Housing Authority.  (Photo credit: Patricia Borns/VIHA)

St. Thomas Senator Marvin Blyden and VIHA Board Chair Noreen Michael joined VIHA staff distributing the gift sacks and showing residents how to use their radios. 

Manuelita Dowe Richardson gets a case of water, Clorox and other giveaways delivered to her room at the Lucinda Millin Home on St. Thomas courtesy of the Virgin Islands Housing Authority. (Photo credit: Patricia Borns/VIHA)