Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) will use the email list for his Senate campaign to raise funds to help those impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, according to an email sent to his supporters on Monday.
The email included a list of organizations in Massachusetts and at the national level, to which individuals can donate, such as Meals on Wheels, the United Way Central Mass, and United Way Mass Bay.
“Donate to the frontline organizations doing the hard work of protecting the most vulnerable in the face of this crisis,” Kennedy said in an email to supporters.
The move comes after Kennedy’s campaign announced last week he was suspending his campaign activities for at least a week, and would instead focus his digital resources to relaying information to the public on the coronavirus.
Kennedy held a virtual town hall on Sunday, in which he and Massachusetts State Rep. Jon Santiago (D), who is also a physician, took questions on the issue.
The congressman’s primary opponent, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), has also put a focus on combatting the virus.
“My campaign is committed to building, supporting, and strengthening connections to help people continue to feel a sense of community during this crisis,” Markey said in a statement. “We are providing maximum accommodation for staff, volunteers, and supporters to take care of themselves, their families, and their loved ones as we have since the coronavirus became apparent. We face a new reality, and the campaign will continue to operate because an engaged democracy is important.”
Additionally, Markey said in a press conference that the U.S. was at war with the virus, pushing for increased manufacturing for medical equipment.
“We are at war with coronavirus and we need a mass, wartime manufacturing mobilization for coronavirus in order to make the testing kits and the personal protective equipment for medical personnel,” Markey said at a press conference.
The senator has pushed the Trump administration to use the Defense Production Act to launch wartime manufacturing for medical equipment and the development of coronavirus tests.
As of Monday, there were 197 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Massachusetts.
