With COVID-19 cases on the rise, Gwinnett Cares continues to partner with various community organizations to distribute masks to those in need. By identifying nonprofits that serve the most vulnerable people in our community, Gwinnett Cares helps channel resources to protect under-reached populations, such as families living in poverty, citizens in precarious housing, and adults with disabilities. Last week twenty-three nonprofits received the last of the 2020 allocation that provided a total of 20,000 masks from Gwinnett Cares partners to help stop the spread.
Thanks to a CARES Act grant from Gwinnett County the local organization Don’t Count Me Out (DCMO) contributed 10,000 masks to this effort to help citizens feel safe, comfortable and cared for during this pandemic. DCMO’s ‘Everyone Deserves A Mask’ initiative was launched in response to the medical and economic destruction the pandemic has caused in impoverished communities. DCMO pledges to “help everyone have the Class 1 medical, FDA approved masks they need, whether they can afford it or not.”
DCMO Executive Director, Monique James, says, “We believe everyone who needs the protection of a mask in the fight against COVID-19 should have access to one.” James emphasizes this promise by stating, “Like many charities, DCMO strategized to identify new opportunities that aligned with our mission to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. We’re committed to the residents of Gwinnett County and ultimately, the state of Georgia. We believe Everyone Deserves A Mask!”
DCMO’s ‘Everyone Deserves A Mask’ initiative is a great example of how federal dollars are being effectively used to positively impact our local community in real time.
Gwinnett Cares continues to reinforce the need for everyone to be diligent about wearing masks when out and about in the community to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. As cases in Gwinnett County continue to increase, please wear a mask to help protect yourself and those around you. Wearing a mask is a simple and effective method to responsibly care for yourself, your loved ones and those most vulnerable in our community.
For more information on how Gwinnett Cares is working with other community partners to care for our community through COVID-19, visit www.GwinnettCares.org. To learn more about services offered by Don’t Count Me Out, visit www.DontCountMeOutUSA.org.
