Communicating regarding COVID-19 Response

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR Sumbul Siddiqui Mayor To: Cambridge City Council From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor Date: April 9, 2020 Subject: COVID-19 Response To the Honorable, the City Council: I want to thank each of you for all the work you are doing to provide meaningful responses and critical actions to support our communities during this evolving public health crisis. Between my office, City staff, and you, my fellow colleagues, we have been able to establish a wide range of resources in our attempt to address this unprecedented pandemic’s impact to our city and its residents. As we work to help our many constituencies, it is critical that we work together around common goals. In order to expand resources and mitigate any blind spots in our dissemination of aid, we must pull in stakeholders who are not currently “in the room.” I have heard from some City Councilors regarding their work on organizing volunteers and outreach through individual networks to secure donations of PPE equipment, organizing meals for healthcare workers, and communicating with our homeless shelters, our interfaith community, and seniors. I am proud that you all have taken on issues individually to better serve our City. In addition to the work you may already be doing, I want to stress the importance of us working together to organize COVID-19 related town halls, working with our public health officials on tracking infection data, and any other collaborative ideas stemming from your Committees or resident networks that might be useful to COVID-19 relief efforts. In the next coming weeks, we will be facing what experts are calling the toughest days of the pandemic. While we maintain physical distance, my office is eager to work together as we brace ourselves for what may come. Your input is not only welcomed, but needed, as we work through these difficult circumstances together. Respectfully, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui