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Help us donate 100,000 PPE masks

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Help us donate 100,000 PPE masks to clinics and hospitals in need.

The last two weeks have been some of the most tumultuous times I can remember in my lifetime. The irony is that during this time, I have been in my home with my immediate family, leaving only to go on short walks while everything happens “outside” of our bubble. 

On the other hand, front-line healthcare workers are at the very center of this crisis, quite literally putting their lives on the line to take care of their communities. As they face the threat of COVID-19 head-on, they lack the very basic Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) that is critical to keep them safe. 

In speaking with our friends and family who are doctors in Canada and the United States in recent days, this really hit home. Some have been reassigned to care directly for COVID patients, while others are providing medical care to patients with other urgent needs. In both cases, they have very limited access to the surgical/procedural and N95 masks necessary to keep them safe while treating patients. From our conversations with hospitals in Canada and especially the United States, they are having a great deal of difficulty securing PPE and shortages are escalating rapidly. 

We want to help in whatever way we can. Through our existing supply chain at Canada Pooch, we have been able to identify several sources of procedure/surgical masks and KN95 masks.  At least in the short term, and until government and hospital supplies catch up, this is something we can do. The need is great right now. We are aiming to start production ASAP and to deliver to hospitals and clinics in both Canada and the United States as quickly as possible.

My husband Isaac and I will be making a $20,000 donation.  Our hope is that this community can rally together to donate an additional $60,000 or more to purchase and distribute approximately 100,000 masks! Prices for PPE are changing rapidly and vary greatly between suppliers given the effort to rapidly ramp up global production, and sadly many suppliers are trying to take advantage of the situation with price gouging. We are working through production, logistics, costing and delivery details in real time. We will be in contact with hospitals across Canada and the United States to determine the exact ratio of each type of mask based on their immediate needs. 

These are unprecedented times and have made us think and appreciate this lesson from, who else but, Mr. Rogers: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me: ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” The news is scary these days and, more than ever, we are inspired by and grateful to all of the ‘helpers’, those putting themselves at risk to provide care and support to those in need. We are also grateful to be a part of a community that is so dedicated to supporting one another - we will get through this together.  

Thank you for your help and generosity.

Jacqueline, Isaac and the entire Canada Pooch team

*Please note we are not a registered charity and therefore cannot issue tax receipts for any donations. 

**Based on current quotes from our suppliers, $80,000 CAD will allow us to source and distribute approximately 100,000 masks; however, quoted costs are changing rapidly. If costs continue to increase, the number of masks we will be able to purchase may change. We will be transparent in the number of masks we are able to source with the donations provided. We will also use our discretion to allocate between surgical/procedure and KN95 masks based on our conversations with health professionals, which could also impact the total number of masks purchased as KN95 masks are more expensive.

***Please note that if, for any reason, we are unable to spend the entirety of the donations, we will provide refunds through GoFundMe.

Who are we?
Canada Pooch is a premium pet apparel and accessories company based in Toronto. We design pet lifestyle products for pets and pet parents to enhance their lives every day.

Where will dollars raised go?
All dollars raised will go towards purchasing and distributing procedural/surgical and KN95 masks for healthcare workers in both Canada and the United States. The masks will be shipped to hospitals and clinics in cities where they are needed most.

Why KN95 masks vs N95 masks?
There is no question that N95 masks are in high demand across hospitals worldwide; however, N95 masks are in very short supply and nearly impossible to source right now. KN95 masks are being produced in China, and from our conversations with hospitals in Canada and the United States, many hospitals are accepting KN95 masks as an alternative to N95 masks during the shortage.

Donations 

  • Michael Castellarin
    • $1,000 
    • 4 yrs

Organizer and beneficiary

Jacqueline Prehogan
Organizer
Toronto, ON
Hayley Rovet
Beneficiary

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