During the rise of the 2020 Pandemic, Richmond Hill and Ozone Park were among the hardest hit neighborhoods in Queens with positivity rates exceeding 16%. Our thoughts and actions as a nation were dominated by fear and panic as New York City approached the verge of a shutdown. 

In November 2020, the mission was contacted by one of our community partners Vijah Ramjattan of The United Madrassi Association. Mr. Ramjattan expressed his concern that our local business owners and religious leaders were very reluctant to offer Covid testing services due to fear of exposure. Our religious partner, The Shri Shakti Mariammaa Temple became the only Temple to open its doors to assist our community. 

The Shakti Mission in partnership with The Shri Shakti Mariammaa Temple coordinated with the Office of Council Member Adrienne Adams of District 28 and NYC Test & Trace Corps within NYC Health +Hospitals, to offer free Covid-19 3 day PCR Testing and 15 mins Rapid testing to our local community in the Ozone Park and Richmond Hill neighborhoods.

Over the next few months, the organizations hosted multiple visits serving hundreds of local residents through mobile testing and testing stations within the temple.