Making An Impact: GreaterGood Is Donating Millions of Masks To Frontline COVID-19 Workers

The world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, and people everywhere are uncertain about the future of their health, safety, and economic security. During this tumultuous time, GreaterGood is dedicated to assisting in COVID-19 relief efforts in multiple ways. As always, we’re continuing to support our flagship programs that help people, pets, and the planet, but we’ve made it our top priority to support the people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and those fighting on the front lines.

One significant contribution is producing and donating medical masks to health professionals and other frontline COVID-19 care and relief workers. Our initial goal has been to donate at least one million masks to those on the frontlines with our Mask a Million Challenge. We’ve already reached that goal and donated more than 2.5 million masks, but we’re not stopping there! With your help, we hope to reach 3 million and beyond!

As we work diligently to provide some hope and relief to those who need it most, we’re also looking for ways that supporters like you can help. Below, we’ve outlined the ways that we’re making a difference and how you can get involved, too.

Let’s make a difference together.

We’re Making & Donating Medical Masks

Photo: Adobe Stock/jesada

Lack of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) has been a significant issue for frontline responders in the U.S. Too many doctors, nurses, and medical staff who normally would discard protective gear like masks after a single use are being forced to reuse them because of extreme shortages. This puts them at risk for contracting the very virus they’re working to beat and contain.

To help with this part of the crisis, we’re working with our apparel suppliers to retool production plans so they can create tens of thousands of high-quality, medical-grade KN95 and N95 masks. All of the masks meet hospital requirements and are being gifted to frontline COVID-19 care and relief workers. We’re also working with our suppliers to ramp up production of hundreds of thousands of medical and non-medical grade disposable masks to protect frontline workers.

“We are so inspired by our community members who are rallying to help us fight COVID-19. Donations of personal protective equipment are especially meaningful for our frontline employees, who strive every day to create a safer, healthier Michigan,” said Marschall S. Runge, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president for medical affairs for the University of Michigan; dean of the U-M Medical School; and CEO of Michigan Medicine.

So far, we’ve shipped well over 2.5 million masks to organizations in many U.S. states, as well as other countries. But we need your help to reach our new goal of 3 million masks or more donated.

Photo: Michigan Medicine/Mary Masson

Some of Our Recipient Organizations Include:

  • University of Michigan Hospitals
  • Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan
  • Detroit Receiving Hospital, Emergency Services
  • Case Western Reserve University Medical School
  • University of Minnesota Hospitals; M Health Fairview
  • Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
  • Revolution Foods

One organization we’re helping out is Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which is a union of about 2 million diverse members in healthcare, the public sector, and property services. We’re donating masks to members of the staff who work in retirement homes, to protect the elderly in their care from contracting the disease from their caregivers.

Supporting the work of organizations like SEIU will help keep hundreds of thousands of people safe and healthy during this crisis. Every mask that protects a health care or aid worker from illness offers potential relief to hundreds of other people.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Photo: GreaterGood
The masks that we’re donating

1. Click Up to 8x Per Day On Our Click To Give Sites

Users who are already familiar with our Click To Give sites know that by simply clicking a button once a day, you trigger a donation from our sponsors to help people, pets, and the planet. Depending on the site you click on, you can fund food for hungry people and animals, health care, education, and other important causes. Since 1999, the GreaterGood network of sites has given $60 million to charity.

Normally, users can click once per day per site. However, during the pandemic, we’re increasing the number of times you can click up to eight times a day (once every three hours) per site. Every additional click will fund disaster relief efforts like donating supplies for overburdened animal shelters, protective gear for front line healthcare workers, and food for those who are struggling. Below are the links to each of our click-to-give sites.

Photo: Michigan Medicine/Mary Masson

2. #StayHomeAndFoster

Many shelters are being forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adoptions are slowing drastically, more families are surrendering their pets, and kitten and puppy season is kicking off. This means that countless animals are at risk of being put down.

You can be a hero to these pets. We need emergency fosters nationwide to host a cat or dog for 2-6 weeks. You can save a pet’s life — and bring joy to yours.

Learn more here: #StayHomeAndFoster

3. Purchase Items From Our Stores

By purchasing items from our online stores, you can help fund even more medical masks. Shop for masks for yourself and look for the “Give a Mask” symbol, letting you know a purchase of that product also triggers a mask donation!

Photo: Michigan Medicine/Joe Hallisy

4. Give Directly To Support People And Pets

You can also give directly to several different programs that support feeding those in need, providing necessary supplies, caring for foster pets, and more:

5. Sign A Petition

Signing a petition won’t cost you anything more than a few minutes of your time. If you agree that more needs to be done to help our frontline workers or to improve our nation’s response to this pandemic, consider signing the petitions below:

Photo: Michigan Medicine/Joe Hallisy

As the world rallies to meet the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, we are grateful for the GreaterGood community – we are grateful for you.

Thank you for helping us make a difference.

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