In March 2020, the COVID-19 Pandemic became a National Crisis that was felt far and wide and had an adverse effect on the Newark Community as well.
Many residents rolled up their sleeves to aid others in the community. One of those residents was Lyndon Brown, a longtime West Ward Resident who not only assisted countless residents but also motivated other community residents to lend a hand.
Connecting residents with community resources, assisting residents who contracted the coronavirus with food, emergency aid, housing, unemployment benefits, rental assistance and mental health services were some of the efforts that he coordinated.
In addition, Lyndon Brown organized daily food distributions across the City with a team of volunteers that were cross-generational from college students to retired educators and high school to business professionals.
The Food distribution included a daily delivery of 5,000 sandwiches and meals courtesy of Sterling Affairs of NY/NJ and fresh produce courtesy of the Bessie Green Community, Inc.
Newark teens who were facing challenges with remote learning, food insecurity, isolation, depression and anxiety benefitted from Brown’s commitment as well.
POP Up Events for Teens were hosted across the City where teens were given gift cards, job opportunities, masks, hand sanitizer, snacks, toiletries, tablets, chrome books, eyewear to reduce eye strain courtesy of EyeBuy Direct in San Francisco and memberships to LA Fitness to reduce stress and participate in Physical Fitness and YOGA classes.
Teens also benefitted from FREE online tutorials and College Prep and Scholarship Sessions organized by Lyndon Brown.
Mr. Brown also hosted several virtual Parent Group Meetings for parents and their various school administrators where communication and information was lacking. He also organized virtual monthly community meetings with community residents to connect them with community and city resources, job opportunities and Covid testing/vaccination sites.
In addition, he aided families who lost loved ones to COVID and senior citizens with holiday gifts, food packages and snack boxes.
He has delivered and continues to deliver food to five shelters weekly since March 2020 in the community, including Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas Dinner.
Residents concerned about Quality of Life Issues often call on Brown for advocacy and support at community meetings, planning board meetings and in times of crisis and his service to the community during the Pandemic has been as consistent as is was prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic.