The Director of the Military Hospital, Fabio Monserrat, told the newspaper Clarín, "We are preparing for a catastrophe." The General Manager of the General Roca-Stefenelli Salesian House was contacted by a doctor from the Public Health Commission to solicit the collaboration of the Salesian house in view of Covid-19's possible advancement in the city. The Salesians made the Stefenelli retreat center available to house suspected cases in quarantine or minor cases of people unable to find adequate insulation in their homes, especially for low-income people.
In addition, beds and mattresses were requested by the local hospital to build a field hospital and the Salesian house has already made them available. The collaboration of the Salesian work "Ceferino Namuncurá" and of the sports field of the Salesians of the city of La Plata was also requested.
It is also worth mentioning that the "Exploradores de Don Bosco" (EADB) were invited to the Casa Rosada (the Government House) by the Cabinet Undersecretary for Relations with Civil Society to plan action guidelines between the National State and civil society organizations in the health emergency caused by Covid-19. The Salesian group was represented by Leonel Mantía, National Head, and Fr Facundo Arriola, Delegate for Youth Ministry in the South Argentina Province (ARS), and was consulted with the aim of designing forms of organized volunteering in order to avoid spontaneous and irresponsible voluntary initiatives in the face of the health emergency generated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"This challenges us to put into practice the legacy that Don Bosco has left us, to be good Christians and upright citizens. At the same time, it encourages us to unite all the forces of civil society and to help us all move forward," the Salesians said.
Finally, it should be noted that in the last week of March, members of the Zarate community joined as volunteers to make food packages to be distributed among the poorest sectors of the city. Dressed with a polo shirt with the writing: “Are you Don Bosco's? Come forward!”, the young people offered their support in solidarity.
