OUR GOAL
In Los Angeles, patients with COVID-19 are being hospitalized daily. As of May 4th, over 56,000 cases have been reported.
Healthcare workers, desperately in need of personal protective equipment (PPE), are risking their lives to treat these patients without the proper equipment.
PPE was designed to only be used once and disposed of after each patient. But our PPE supplies have been exhausted to the point that many hospitals have no choice but to reuse their equipment. The shortage of sanitizing wipes has forced hospitals to use alternatives, like rags washed in medical grade bleach, just to keep up with the demand.
Being on the frontlines of this pandemic means we healthcare workers have a 40% higher risk of exposure to the virus. On top of that, many have their own underlying medical conditions that put that them at an even greater risk. Many healthcare workers are already falling ill.
Tess, a teammate in the ER of a smaller community hospital, tested positive for COVID-19. One of her patients coughed in her face, and without adequate eye protection, Tess contracted the virus.
Every time a healthcare worker becomes infected, it strains our staff and the community as a whole.
We are asking our fellow Angelenos to help us obtain PPE for our local healthcare workers so that we may help you in this unprecedented time of need. If are interested in a financial contribution, please click here. If you have unopened PPE to donate, please check your local hospital’s donation times on their website, and send it directly to them!
Please share, wash your hands, stay home, wear your face covering, and let’s keep Los Angeles safe and healthy.
Thank you for your support!
WHO WE ARE
Tracy - Founder
Tracy has been a transplant nurse in a step-down unit for 13 years. Working at one of the largest hospitals in LA she is fortunate to only have small PPE issues with bouffants and shoe covers.
After reading the numerous accounts of her friends and family on Facebook concerning the PPE shortage, she started researching how to source it herself.
What really drove her to get off her quarantine couch was when her friend Tess, an ER nurse, contracted the virus due to a lack of eye protection when a patient with COVID-19 coughed in her face.
What started as one person buying PPE has turned into a social media collaboration of healthcare workers, makers, creatives and others that have unified around a common cause.
Tracy is the main contact online and PPE Now LA’s sole delivery person.
Tess - Fundraising
Tess, an ER Nurse in Downtown LA, fought and won her own battle with Covid-19. She’s been sourcing PPE for her own ER and has helped raise funds for PPE Now LA. She has also been instrumental in connecting us with a local distributor for hospitals and clinics to contact.
Katherine - Creating ear-savers
She has been laser cutting ear-savers for healthcare workers all over LA and in her local community. Ear-savers (a small piece of plastic used hold the elastic from masks behind the head) has been the second most requested PPE item, behind N95s.
Mike - Face Shields
Mike of Mike's Merchant Services has kindly partnered with us producing face shields and ear savers for hundreds of healthcare workers. His wife Ariel also sews masks.
Sarah - Outreach and Face Shields
She is another of our face shield makers. She has been doing most of the outreach in Orange County for us.
Anna - PPE Procurement
Anna does the lion's share of the research needed to find sites to purchase PPE, including hard-to-find N95s. She has also made several large donations of PPE for our organization.
David - Design and Branding
David is a designer and Tracy’s brother. He has been helping shape our brand and performing outreach in the creative industry.
Sam - Design and Content
Sam from pancake.design volunteers for us as a graphic, motion, and web designer.
Calvin - Illustration and Design
Calvin provides illustration and design for social content.
Ivan - Cartoonist
Cartoonist for MAD Magazine, the New Yorker, the Weekly Humorist and others
Maile - Product Designer
Maile volunteers with us editing UX copy and consulting on UX/UI.
NEWS AND EVENTS
Thank you to Narwahl Inc. / The Bugit / Yool Goods
For your generous contribution of countless boxes of hand sanitizer and masks!
PPE Now LA is a 501c3 Non-profit
Our mission is to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline workers and vulnerable communities.
5,000 Pieces Delivered to Front Line Workers!
Over 5,000 pieces of PPE have been donated in 3 weeks! Thank you to all our partners and PPE donors for supporting healthcare workers in Los Angeles and now Orange County!
PPE Now LA Helps Serve Orange County
With 433 positive cases in Santa Ana and 1/3 being Latino, Clinica Medica serves a highly vulnerable community. Thank you for your continued support of healthcare workers at this time.
We are Proud to Help Serve New York
PPE Now LA delivered 20 N95 masks, 1 box of gloves, 200 bouffants and 1 respirator to our friends in need in New York!
70 Face Shields and 50 KN95 Masks Given to LAPD
The police are also highly vulnerable to Covid-19 infection. We were happy to provide vital PPE to fellow frontline workers. Thanks to @3dagentsofshield for the assist!