Since the federal government declared the end of the public health emergency in May, COVID testing and high quality masks have become harder to access than ever before, disproportionately impacting marginalized folks. The People’s PPE believes that everyone should be able to access protective measures against COVID-19, regardless of their location, identities, or ability to pay. By donating to our GoFundMe, you help us purchase personal protective equipment (PPE), including high-quality masks, for our PPE distribution hubs throughout the East Coast and raise funds to ship these resources across the country.

The United States federal government declared the end of the public health emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. Since then, over-the-counter tests have become more costly for people, and most public places have stopped giving out PPE such as high-quality masks that community members need to stay safe, especially if they are immunocompromised.

People with limited access to healthcare, including uninsured individuals, undocumented immigrants, and unhoused people, often lack consistent and affordable access to high-quality testing and PPE that would keep themselves safe from being infected with COVID-19.

We want to be part of the solution, ensuring that those with the greatest needs for PPE have reliable access to these resources.

By donating to our cause, you will help us give free masks and other vital PPE to those most in need. All funds raised go directly toward our mutual aid efforts: acquiring masks and delivering them across the country through our distribution hubs. We care about our communities and continue to show up for each other as our public health institutions fail to provide access to the tools that keep us safe. Anything counts, and your support means the world to us and our communities.

About us:

The People’s PPE is a volunteer-run organization founded by students to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We provide masks and other vital PPE to mutual aid collectives, health clinics, homeless shelters, disability justice organizations, harm reduction organizations, under-resourced schools, and other community-based organizations that provide life-saving services and support to marginalized people. We believe that access to PPE is a crucial element in the broader movement for pandemic justice: everyone should be able to access protective measures against COVID-19, regardless of their location, identities, or ability to pay.

While we expand our capacity to ship nationally and worldwide, we have distribution hubs in New Haven, the DMV area, and New York for local community members who need PPE.

The People’s PPE acquires large donations of PPE from businesses and redistributes them to hundreds of organizations. In our experience, most small, community-based organizations cannot receive pallets of thousands of masks. Instead, they rely on smaller donations of between [phone redacted] KN95/N95 masks to provide for their clients, staff, and community. We collaborate with organizations across the United States to ensure that they have access to the PPE that they need to care for their communities and continue their work.

We learn from and are guided by the people we support. We host panel events to uplift the liberatory and community care work that our partners engage in. We also seek to share accessible educational resources about the pandemic, long COVID, COVID-related resources, and the importance of masking and other protective measures.

We are currently in the process of filing as a non-profit organization, which will significantly expand the scope of our work. We would be so grateful if you supported our work by donating.

We hope you’ll join us in supporting our communities, together.