LifeLinks CLASS was excited to receive a large shipment of PPE (personal protective equipment) this week which included nearly 25,000 gowns and thermometers.
The health and safety of direct support professionals and the individuals they support have continued to be our highest priority during the pandemic. Thanks to a new partnership with LifeLinks CLASS supporter Brian Abbott, we were able to procure PPE that would then be redistributed to other agencies in need.
“We did it because we know anecdotally that others were struggling to source PPE, that the costs for smaller orders were exponentially higher,” commented CEO Jean Phelps. “We had the resources to be able to purchase upfront and bring the prices down for everyone because of the size of the orders. We wanted to be helpful to others because we could.”
We partnered with Lowell General Hospital, as well as Abbott, to ensure prompt delivery of all supplies. Once there, our facilities, administrative and nursing teams facilitated the distribution process. “It may be a little more work on our end,” says CFO Adam Shuster, “but we are all in this together.”
PPE waiting for distribution at the LifeLinks CLASS facility in Chelmsford.
LifeLinks CLASS was overjoyed to receive a donation of 400 masks this week from the East Garden Church in Beijing, China, and house church in Wenzhou, China.
As we work diligently to procure highly sought after personal protective equipment (PPE), donations like these are critical to ensure the health and safety of essential direct support professionals and the individuals in the community who they support.
The donation was arranged by Bill Haddad, a member of the LifeLinks CLASS board of directors who has been actively involved in the organization.
“Every little bit counts, and when I heard that the church was looking to donate masks to worthy organizations I was pleased to connect them to LifeLinks CLASS,” says Haddad. “The team is doing tremendous work under extraordinary circumstances.”
LifeLinks CLASS also worked to procure a shipment of PPE that arrived this week, and staff in Chelmsford facilitated the distribution of supplies to other human services agencies in the state.
“It’s wonderful to see the community support each other during our time of need,” commented CEO Jean Phelps. “One of the core LifeLinks CLASS values is community, and it’s wonderful to see our staff and Board members modeling that value.”
