In an effort to curb the resurgent spread of COVID-19, Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness will be a partner with State representative Barbara Hernandez (83rd District) to distribute thousands of free protective facemasks on Thursday, Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 659 S. River Street, Aurora.
The event will take place the Hesed House Parking Lot scheduled. DuPage and Kane Counties are among the counties indicated to have increased COVID-19 risk by the IDPH, with positivity rates of 4.4% and 5.5% respectively.
“Research, and the experience of the people living in the 83rd District, shows that the use of facemasks is one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of COVID-19,” said representative Hernandez.
The masks that will be distributed by Aunt Martha’s were made possible by the Palo Alto Networks COVID Relief Fund, which is employee led and company matched 4x. This fund is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to support communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
“Palo Alto Network came to Aunt Martha’s with a desire to be part of the COVID-19 effort and together we decided that the most valuable use of these funds would be to produce and distribute masks in the communities hit hardest by the pandemic,” said Raul Garza, Aunt Martha’s president and CEO.
“Wearing facemasks is the simplest thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people around us. Aunt Martha’s is proud to be part of the effort to make them available to as many people as possible, particularly in communities of color.”
Aunt Martha’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has leveraged its resources to protect its front line staff members, including health center staff members, as well as those providing care in shelter settings, foster homes and responding to the needs of families in crisis. The agency was among the first selected to be part of Illinois’ expansion of COVID-19 testing, and one of the earliest to advocate for and bring online an expanded system of telehealth services.
-Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness