As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the nation, Adventist Community Services (ACS) centers have been encouraged to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to volunteers, staff, and community members. Face masks are one of the most essential supplies in great demand today.

AdventHealth, with corporate offices in Florida, recently donated 150,000 face masks to ACS for use in food pantries and other areas serving communities in need. These masks from AdventHealth’s donation-eligible stockpiles were distributed to the Florida, Texas, and Greater New York conferences. Each conference received one pallet of 50,000 masks, which is valued at $6,000, totaling the retail price of the masks to $18,000. In addition to the donation, the hospital also took care of all transportation costs. While keeping the primary focus on protecting front-line caregivers, AdventHealth is constantly evaluating the opportunity to help others.

“AdventHealth is blessed to have strong inventory levels that allow us to share these donation-eligible face masks, while ensuring our team members remain protected,” said Monty Jacobs, director of AdventHealth Global Missions. “Understanding that this is a challenging time for many families, we are grateful to Adventist Community Services for the opportunity to help safeguard the volunteers who provide warm meals, clothing and more to those who need it most.”

“We are so grateful to AdventHealth for their generous offer to Adventist Community Services (ACS), and look forward to distributing the Masks to our Food Pantry teams, those working in our Schools and Community Centers. Keeping ACS team members safe while serving is a responsibility we take seriously and this donation was an answer to our prayers,” stated W. Derrick Lea, disaster response director for North American Division Adventist Community Services.