Houston asked for protective equipment to help with the COVID-19 shortage, and the Asian American Chamber of Commerce responded.
The group donated over $42,000 worth of medical supplies today, according to the mayor of Houston’s office.
“I want to thank the Asian Chamber of Commerce for their generosity,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement. “Despite some business losses and other challenges faced as a result of COVID-19, they never lost faith and continued to give back to the greater community.”
The supplies included 10,000 masks; 3,600 gloves; 825 isolation gowns; 500 face shields; 250 boot covers; 270 goggles; and 40 gallons of sanitizers, according to the press release.
An Asian American Chamber of Commerce board member and Houston Health Department’s Intergovernmental Affair Manager, Illy Jaffer, was “instrumental” in donation efforts. Eight other community organizations contributed, including the Chinese Association of Professional in Science and Technology, the Sino Professionals Association, and the Houston Beijing University Alumni Association.
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“We as a collective body, including Chinese American, Korean American, Vietnamese American, Japanese Americans, Filipino Americans and the various other AAPI ethnicities, are in support of helping Houston through this challenging crisis and will stand by Mayor Sylvester Turner and the City of Houston in whatever the needs are,” said Bin Yu, the Asian Chamber Board Chair, in a statement.
“The City of Houston has been in support of our Chamber since our existence 30 years ago and we have built our campaign in rallying together where we titled it: ‘Together, Houston is Stronger!’”
The medical supplies will be donated to Houston’s health, police, and fire departments, as well as other city employees.
Houston and Harris County’s “Stay Home, Work Safe” order will start Tuesday at midnight and extend until April 3 in an effort to contain the coronavirus, according to ABC 13. Nearly 200 individuals, mainly under the age of 50, have been diagnosed in the Greater Houston Area.
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