President Irene Haley states, “I was grateful to present testimony to the Health Equity Task Force.  Our economic recovery depends on the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community.  We can’t have one without the other.  Here is my testimony:

Thank you Health Equity Task Force for this opportunity to give testimony today.  I am Irene Haley, president / ceo of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.  I am here as an ally of the underserve / underrepresented people in my community, and the businesses in our chamber.  The impact of covid has revealed how connected we are.  The people who are suffering dispropotionately are the same ones we depend on in the back of the house of our restaurants and in our manufacturing facilities.  Their health and well-being is vital to our economic recovery and to the collective well-being of our communities.  We can’t have one without the other. Transitioning to a new normal is only possible if we address the physical and mental impact of this pandemic on our most vulnerable neighbors.  I believe that with bold initiatives and tenacity, we can unleash the potential of those who have been held back by a health care system that doesn’t work for them the way it works for me.

My ask is that you use the existing organizations in our communities to execute your recommendations.  In Haverhilll and the Merrimack Valley,  there is the infrastructure, expertise, and public – private collaboration in place to deliver programs and support the people who need it most.  With resources and guidance, we can make the systematic changes we need and transform the lives of many.   What I want you to remember is that we have good people ready to do more good work.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to this critical issue.”