THE NYC MASK MISSION

COVID-19 SUPPORT FUND

As of 4/14/2020 at 6:00 PM there were 107,263 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in NYC alone, 6,589 deaths, and 29,511 hospitalizations.
Source and updates: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page#download

Source: Reuters.com: Workers bury the dead in mass grave on New York City's Hart Island amid coronavirus outbreak

The numbers are tragic! 

New York City is running out of essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies for their essential workers  - this includes doctors and nurses on the frontline, as well as NYPD, FDNY, bus drivers, bodega owners,  people working at pharmacies, grocery stores, butchers, delivery folks, and other essential service providers. 

If doctors and nurses run out of masks and other PPE items, who will treat COVID-19  patients? No one. There are already reports of health care workers getting sick and dying as a result of the lack of proper protective gear daily. 

While we are asked to stay home, we must do our part remotely by aiding our primary frontline workers who are our doctors, nurses, New York Police Department (NYPD), and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers keeping New Yorkers alive by getting them PPE equipment.  If we work to save them, they will work to save the lives of many many New Yorkers. 

Source: BusinessInsider.com

If our bus drivers catch  COVID-19, what will happen? Doctors, nurses, other essential workers won’t be able to get to work, and won’t be able to save lives.

"There are 2,269 MTA employees diagnosed with COVID-19 and 59 of them have died." 

We must also aid our secondary frontline workers, our neighborhood bodegas and delis who if we do not get them masks and latex gloves, they will be forced to shut down because their owners/employees are sick - who will provide the city with sustenance? No one. 

Bodegas are the lifelines of New York City. There are currently more than 10,000 bodegas in the City of New York -  supplying the city with groceries, and other essential items. Let’s make sure they continue serving our communities by supplying them with the basic protection, mask, latex gloves and hand sanitizer.

Collectively, we must protect our primary and secondary frontline essential workers.

We have started this fundraising campaign to secure medical masks, and other  PPE, to the frontline essential healthcare workers who need it the most. We are able to secure a large supply of masks from a certified company to be shipped to New York City.  

100% of your donation will go directly into the acquisition and delivery of medical masks and Personal Protective Equipment for primary frontline essential healthcare workers in New York. City.  We are working directly with the City of New York to ensure the delivery of these supplies to hospitals that need them the most.

"We’re on a suicide mission’: Jacobi Hospital nurse charges lack of coronavirus protective gear endangers health care workers’ lives"

OUR GOAL

The Greater New York region has over: 200 hospitals, with thousands of health care workers at risk. There are also other frontline workers such as the thousands that work for the NYPD, and the FDNY - which includes Emergency Medical Services paramedics. 

Then we have the other essential workers that we truly can’t live without, from the 12,000 MTA bus drivers to the 10,000 bodegas and delis. 

Our goal is to acquire, distribute, and deliver 100K masks to essential workers in NYC. But we can’t do this alone - we need your help! New York City needs your help.

OUR STORY

When Dr. Debbie Almontaser’s pregnant daughter went for a routine ob-gyn visit, she found her doctor was wearing a makeshift paper towel mask stapled at both ends with rubber bands securing it on his head. Flabbergasted, she told her parents how upsetting that was for her to see a healthcare professional who didn’t have the appropriate protective equipment that they needed to provide care. 

Right away, Dr. Debbie realized she needed to do something about this. And that’s how #Masks4NYC was born.

WHO WE ARE

About Dr. Debbie Almontaser

Dr. Debbie Almontaser is an internationally recognized, award-winning educator, speaker and authority on cross-cultural understanding. She is an influential community leader and the Founder and CEO of Bridging Cultures Group, Inc. as well as one of the co-founders of the Yemeni American Merchants Association.

About Yemeni American Merchants Association

The Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA) seeks to educate and elevate Yemeni-American merchants and their families through education, civil rights advocacy, business and social service support.

​Our Supporters

Imam Khalid Latif

Imam Suhaib Webb

FAQ

What is your goal?

To get as many KN95 medical masks into the hands of primary frontline healthcare workers as fast as possible, this includes doctors, nurses, paramedics (EMS), police officers (NYPD),  firefighters (FDNY) and bus drivers in New York City. While we are procuring masks, we are also looking to source latex gloves and hospital gowns.

We are working on securing KN95 masks for secondary frontline workers like bodegas and delis. We are aiming to distribute 5,000 kits which will consist of:

- 2-5 masks

- Box of latex gloves

- Hand sanitizer

How will the funds be used? 

100% of the funds will go directly to facilitating the purchase, packing and delivery of masks and other urgent Personal Protective Equipment for primary frontline healthcare workers and secondary frontline workers that keep New Yorkers alive.

Why NYC?

Please read:

- The Washington Post: Faced with a crush of patients, besieged NYC hospitals struggle with life-or-death decisions

- Associated Press: COVID-19 infections rise in New York with peak weeks away 

I’ve seen other charity efforts related to COVID-19. How is this one different? 

Your donation will go directly to support the acquisition of masks & other urgent PPE for NYC’s essential workers - those at the frontlines of COVID-19. This is absolutely urgent - we also need to protect our frontline essential business workers who put their lives on the line to serve our communities every day.

What are KN95 masks, and is it okay to use them as a substitute for N95s?

N95 respirator masks are the CDC-recommended protective face wear for health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients. KN95 respirator masks are used by surgeons and other medical professionals in Asia; they are functionally equivalent to N95s. Since N95 masks are becoming harder to procure, KN95 are the next best things - and sure beat reusing old masks, and makeshift masks.

Are donations tax-deductible? 

Yes, donations are 100%  tax-deductible!

Aside from donations, how can we help? 

Stay home. We must stay home to protect our doctors and other frontline workers. 

If you have a direct relationship with PPE manufacturers that can provide equipment at market costs, please contact us at info@yamausa.org.

In the News

https://bklyner.com/yemeni-bodega-workers-nyc-mask-mission/