'A Blanket Of Poverty,' Chelsea Hit Hard By Pandemic, Worried Resources Could Shrink
CHELSEA (CBS) - For too many of our Massachusetts neighbors, the economic fallout we're just beginning to feel from the crisis in Ukraine presents impossible expenses. Not a burden, not inconvenient, not possible.
"What's going to happen if the prices continue to go up? I always think a miracle will happen, but I don't see anything happening anytime soon," said Gladys Vega, Executive Director of La Colaborativa in Chelsea. "In a community like Chelsea, for years we have had a blanket of poverty. The pandemic just made everything much worse."
At La Colaborativa, they already feel like a Band-Aid. The mountain that is their mission just keeps growing. When they unlocked their door Monday morning, 25 families stood waiting, desperate for help.
"I try to give them hope, learn English and let's help you get a good job. But there's not much out there. The prices continue to go up. The cost of food, the cost of gasoline. Day care is huge. You have to decide, 'Do I stay home or go out to make $40-to-60 extra so I can catch up with my bills?'" Vega said.
Their action and advocacy never stops, but as this global crisis continues its trickle down impact on everyone, Vega fears resources could shrink for our neighbors who were already living in crisis.
"What I'm afraid of, Chelsea and communities like Chelsea are going to be forgotten and we're just going to be more poor than ever," Vega said.