Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/gg-million-masks/

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, GreaterGood has been working hard to do its part to bring masks and other personal protective equipment to frontline workers and essential employees in the U.S. and across the globe.

Our original goal was to donate one million masks to those who need them most. Now we’re proud to announce that in just a few short months, we’ve met and surpassed that goal!

So far, donations have made their way to medical professionals, elder care workers, staff and volunteers at animal shelters and wildlife sanctuaries, food service workers who aid vulnerable populations, and other frontline heroes. Thanks to the support of generous people like you, these men and women are able to safely continue their vital work helping people, pets, and the planet.

The Association of Gleaning Organizations (AGO) and Revolution Foods are two organizations that received masks to help them continue their important work of feeding the hungry. AGO engages communities to harvest surplus produce so that no food is wasted and vulnerable populations can have better access to healthy food. Revolution Foods provides nutritious meals to students and families in need.

Another place that received medical-grade masks was the Starr County Memorial Hospital in Rio Grande, Texas. Martha Torres, RN, DON, says the pandemic hit her small community hard and that many families had several members affected by it.

“We will forever be grateful for organizations like yours that helped this community during the most challenging times it has experienced,” says Torres. “It was so difficult to cope with so much mortality, but [we’re] also so grateful for all the success stories of recovered patients.”

She adds, “We are seeing a positive trend in the community…Thank our great God!!! But we are still mitigating all patients as persons under investigation and therefore continue to use masks all day. Thank you and your team for reaching out with this amazing donation. You all are part of making us safer!!!!”

Thousands of masks were also delivered to LA Family Housing (LAFH) and the North East Valley Health Center located on their campus. LAFH is an organization that provides housing in the Los Angeles area and specializes in helping at-risk populations find stable housing. Their medical facility services the homeless and those who are in transitional phases in their lives.

Together We Rise (TWR) is another non-profit to which GreaterGood has donated masks during the pandemic. TWR has about 1,000 employees and volunteers who work with foster children in all 50 states, providing them with suitcases (“sweet cases”), stuffed animals, toys, hygiene kits, and other items to fulfill their needs and make them feel more comfortable and at home. TWR received 1,000 masks to help them continue their important work of creating a positive environment and a loving community for foster children.

“This grant has enabled TWR employees and program volunteers to continue serving foster youth across the nation safely and with peace of mind,” says Steven Macias of TWR. “[It] has alleviated the need for Together We Rise to spend additional resources on PPE and has helped in encouraging volunteers to participate in programs. Together We Rise would like to thank GreaterGood and the product donor for supporting foster youth across the country. Because of partners like you, Together We Rise is able to serve over 100,000 foster children each year. This would not be possible without your support. Thank you and best wishes to you and your community.”

GreaterGood has also been working to help pets and other animals by providing masks to the staff and volunteers who work at animal shelters and wildlife sanctuaries.

“This is the busiest time of year for our staff and volunteers, and it is paramount that we protect them while they work tirelessly to save lives,” says Beth Caffrey of The Cat House on the Kings in Parlier, California. “We have also had increased interest in adoptions, so these masks allow us to continue the adoption process in a safe and healthy manner for all involved. Thank you for the masks; they are a vital part of our staff super suits!”

At animal shelters and rescue facilities, masks are used during veterinary treatments, many of which require more than one pair of hands to accomplish, forcing staff to be together in close quarters. Masks are also used for volunteers who socialize and feed the animals and potential adopters coming in to meet the animals.

“These masks have enabled not only our staff, but our volunteers, donors, and adopters to continue our lifesaving work during these difficult times,” says Darra Gasper Flanagan of the Pensacola Humane Society in Pensacola, Florida. “We distributed the masks between our adoption center and low-cost spay and neuter clinic and have been able operate at full capacity (with Covid-19 precautions in place) in both facilities. Without the generosity of GreaterGood, we would not have been able to continue our mission.”

GreaterGood has also provided thousands of masks for 11 wildlife sanctuaries in Cameroon, Kenya, South Africa, and the Republic of the Congo. All of the sanctuaries are part of the Pan-African Sanctuary Alliance, and they care for a variety of endangered and vulnerable animals, including chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, baboons, and African Gray Parrots. They care for more than 1800 animals altogether.

“Chimps can die of the common cold, so the wearing of masks when we are working with them during the COVID pandemic is essential,” says Pauline Stuart, head of Chimp Eden in South Africa. “The masks are assisting in the prevention of the staff from contracting COVID from the people they come into contact with and transferring it to the other staff and to our chimps.”

“Masks are our first line of defense—they are protecting our staff, their loved ones, and the animals in our care,” adds Nancy Mungania of Colobus Conservation in Kenya. “Our safety and that of our animals is our priority.”

So what’s next for GreaterGood, now that we’ve donated more than one million masks? Well, we’re happy to report that we won’t stop giving where it’s needed anytime soon. As long as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, GreaterGood will still be sending masks to frontline heroes and wherever they’re needed most.

We’ve hit the one-million mask mark, but with your help, we hope to mask a million more! That’s right. Our next goal will be to donate two million masks to frontline workers and essential employees.

You can help people on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and help us fund more medical masks by purchasing items from our online stores, which helps 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!

You can also click the button on each of our Click to Give sites daily to trigger a donation from our sponsors to help people, pets, and the planet. 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.

Please also check out our COVID-19 response page to see how we’re helping during the pandemic and visit our Mask a Million page to learn more about our mask donation project and some ways you can help.

GreaterGood is honored to support the lifesaving efforts of staff members and volunteers at animal shelters across the country. Keep up the great work, everyone!

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog