California Receives Largest PPE Donation To-Date From ICU Health
California Receives Largest PPE Donation To-Date From ICU Health (a division of ICU Eyewear, Inc.) to Support Essential Workers
Uber Freight & Direct Relief Partner with the State to Get Critical PPE to Essential Workers
With COVID-19 spreading rapidly across multiple regions in the state, California has received its largest donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to-date from California-based company ICU Health.
ICU Health’s donation of 5 million disposable masks and 5 million face shields will be distributed directly to support local communities. The PPE donation comes at a critical point in the pandemic as skyrocketing cases push healthcare systems near capacity.
Providing PPE to essential workers is an important part of COVID-19 response by augmenting existing efforts and supplies to protect the health and safety of those in our critical sectors.
“California is grateful for the generous donations and partnerships that in turn directly supports California’s essential workers,” said Abby Browning, Chief, Cal OES Office of Private Sector and NGO Coordination. “In true holiday spirit during these challenging times, we see many organizations coming together doing what they can to strengthen our response to the pandemic.”
Throughout the pandemic, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has partnered with businesses and organizations to distribute additional supplies of PPE to California’s essential workers.
“We are thrilled to be able to donate to the state of California and honored that our masks and face shields will be used for the protection of California’s essential workers. To those workers, we offer a heartfelt thank you, for all that you have done and all that you continue to do,” says Kirk Hobbs, CEO, ICU Health.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture worked with county Agricultural Commissioners to identify needs and coordinate distribution of the 5 million disposable masks. The masks will be distributed to agricultural workers in 19 counties: Del Norte, Fresno, Humboldt, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Merced, Napa, Orange, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama and Tulare.
Further building upon partnerships, Uber Freight and Direct Relief have joined the pandemic response effort. Transportation of the face shields to various locations will be provided by Uber Freight. The remaining PPE will be part of the state’s supply that gets distributed to local communities in need by Cal OES and Direct Relief.
Cal OES’ Office of Private Sector and NGO Coordination has a strong history of working through partnerships with private sector, philanthropic, and non-governmental organizations during emergency response and recovery, including the current COVID-19 pandemic, the 2018 Camp Fire, 2017 North Bay Fires and numerous other emergencies.
If you are a business or organization interested in donating supplies, please visit www.covid19supplies.ca.gov to learn how.
About ICU Health
ICU Health is a division of ICU Eyewear, a US based, FDA-registered company that has been in business for over 70 years.