Gov. Charlie Baker speaks at a press conference at the State House on March 30. State House News Service photo

Eastern Bank will administer a new statewide fund that will help support vulnerable Massachusetts communities affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Charlie Baker launched the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund, which has initial contributions totaling more than $13 million, on Monday at Eastern Bank’s Boston headquarters.

The goal of the relief fund, Baker said, is “to help those who are going to have the hardest time working through and dealing with all of the economic consequence and public health consequence that’s associated with this particular virus.”

The One8 Foundation provided initial funding of $1.8 million. Joanna Jacobsen, president of the One8 Foundation, and first lady Lauren Baker helped establish the fund. The Boston Foundation and the Foundation for Business Equity are serving as fiscal sponsors.

“We founded the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund to help people in every corner of this commonwealth access the resources that they need,” Lauren Baker said. “This fund is going to support essential frontline workers and other vulnerable communities who face issues like food and housing insecurity and the loss of critical services.”

Eastern Bank, which contributed through the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, will administer the fund at no cost, acting as the conduit for distributing money to organizations. The bank will also provide technical, banking and administrative services to help with donations to the fund.

“At Eastern we’re very thankful to be in a position to help and very honored to be asked,” said Eastern Bank CEO Bob Rivers.

Bank of America is also a founding contributor to the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund. Fund-raising is ongoing.

“The more money we can raise, the more money we can push out into communities where there is significant need and make life better for people,” Lauren Baker said.