April 28, 2020 – Castro Valley, CA – Mark Friedman, CEO of the Eden Health District, announced today that the District has begun the free distribution of 100,000 KN 95 masks. Over 60,000 masks have already been provided to Eden Area first responders, health care providers, nonprofit organizations and essential workers, with the remaining masks to be delivered within the next week.
“Obtaining FDA-certified face masks has been a daunting challenge for many of the outstanding local agencies and nonprofit organizations that treat COVID-19 patients and those most vulnerable to becoming infected with the coronavirus,” stated Friedman. “The District deeply appreciates the work of these partners and is glad to provide them masks at no charge.”
“The Eden Health District is committed to helping our public agency and nonprofit partners focus on addressing the COVID-19 outbreak, and not having their time and attention consumed by scrambling to find scarce personal protective equipment,” added Gordon Galvan, Chair of the Eden Health District Board of Directors.
The Eden Health District has distributed and/or will distribute KN 95 masks to the following health care providers, first responders and nonprofit and labor organizations:
- St. Rose Hospital;
- City of Hayward Fire Department;
- Davis Street Community Center, a federally-qualified health center in San Leandro that serves residents of San Leandro and unincorporated Alameda County;
- Tiburcio Vasquez Health Clinic, a federally-qualified health center in Hayward that serves residents of Hayward and unincorporated Alameda County;
- George Mark Children’s House, a palliative care facility for children and their families located in San Leandro;
- Baywood Court, a Castro Valley senior community with a skilled nursing facility;
- Alameda County Meals on Wheels;
- Building Futures which provides services to the unsheltered in San Leandro, Oakland and City of Alameda;
- First 5 Alameda County for distribution to a wide range of community-based organizations and the county’s childcare resource and referral agencies, BANANAS, the Community Childcare Council of Alameda County (4Cs), and Hively;
- SEIU – United Health Care Workers for distribution to workers at health clinics and assisted living facilities as well as in-home support workers;
- Hayward Chamber of Commerce for workers at local essential businesses;
- Supplybank.org for distribution to essential workers in the Eden Area; and
- United Food and Commercial Workers for distribution to essential workers.
“We appreciate Eden Health District’s partnership. Our childcare workforce and community partners perform critical work to keep our society going,” Kristin Spanos, CEO of Alameda First 5, stated. “We’re relying on them to care for children of essential workers and to provide a vital link to food and emergency supplies for the public, especially children and families. It’s important that we prioritize their health and safety.”
“On behalf of the clinic staff, I thank the Eden Health District for its very generous donation of KN 95 masks,” commented Rose Padilla Johnson, CEO of Davis Street Community Center. “All providers are struggling trying to secure the safety supplies in order to treat and test patients. Upon delivery of the masks, we all breathed a sigh of relief.”
“The masks donated by the Eden Health District will enable us to keep our staff safe as they provide services to persons experiencing homelessness,” stated Liz Verela, Executive Director at Building Futures. “We can also provide masks directly to
persons living on the streets as they are among the most vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus. We want them to remain healthy as we seek to relocate them to hotels and permanent housing.” “Even though there are various sources for masks, many small but also ‘essential businesses’ don’t have the established connections or networking to get a ready supply,” explained Kim Huggett, President and CEO of the Hayward Chamber of Commerce. “The Eden Health District’s donation will allow the Chamber to supply these businesses, many run by families, with this basic element of health and safety they need to keep our local economy moving.”