COLUMBUS — OhioHealth gave back a portion of the supplies so generously donated to area hospitals in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March and April, supplies of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) and other needed items were in short supply due to the worldwide demand and the scope of the pandemic.
Hospitals needed help and the communities came through donating more than 1.1 million items such as, face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and more. Nearly 90 percent of these donated items were able to be used to help protect frontline healthcare workers, or placed in our inventory for future needs.
With PPE and other supplies replenished and becoming more readily available, OhioHealth will donate more than 100,000 items to people in need.
“We were humbled by the outpouring of support and generosity by many friends of OhioHealth that donated items,” said Karen Morrison, President, OhioHealth Foundation and Senior Vice President, External Affairs. “These gifts helped us bridge a difficult period and it was greatly appreciated by our clinical and support staff. The community stepped up to help in a significant way and for that we are forever grateful.”
OhioHealth will donate supplies to partnering organizations in the communities we serves. The agencies listed below will distribute the supplies to those in need.
- Shelby – Help Line Ministries (Salvation Army/FISH Food Pantry)
- Mansfield – Salvation Army
- Marion – Marion Technical College
- Delaware County – SourcePoint and United Way of Delaware County (Strengthening Families)
- Athens – HAPCAP and Athens City Schools
- Pickaway County Food Pantry and Haven House
The following supplies were donated to Richland County organizations: gloves, toilet paper, kleenex/ tissue boxes, face masks (hand sewn) , overalls, clogs (rubber shoes), cleaning supplies, mini hand sanitizers, protein bars, straws and standard protection kits.
In addition, OhioHealth worked with YMCA Hilltop in Columbus as well as Dedicated Senior Medical Centers, a partnership between OhioHealth and ChenMed, to provide OhioHealth COVID Care Packages to families and seniors in need.
