Helping the Dallas Community Fight Coronavirus

Hi! We are three high schoolers from Dallas, Texas raising money to help aid in the coronavirus pandemic. Our goal originally was to raise $5000 to purchase masks for UT Southwestern Medical Center and $3000 to donate to the North Texas Food Bank and Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, TX (each $1500).

However, due to the current situation, the 1080 masks we purchased with $1212.86 are the maximum amount of masks we can get. Therefore, we adjusted our fundraising goal to $5000 in total. This means that we will split up the remaining funds evenly and donate them to the NTFB and Minnie’s Food Pantry through their online monetary donation websites.

Note: The masks were shipped without the original packaging(they are still sealed with plastic) to reduce shipping costs and avoid being detained. Since VA unfortunately does not accept masks without the original boxes, we have decided that we are donating all of the 1080 masks to UT Southwestern. We will be dropping these masks off at the designated building on 4/12 (Tuesday) at 2 pm.

We will be continuously updating everyone on the progress of our donations. Stay on the lookout for updates on our campaign page! Thank you!

WHY ARE WE STARTING THIS FUNDRAISER?

Due to the recent Coronavirus outbreak in the Dallas community, doctors in Dallas hospitals are facing an urgent shortage of medical masks. According to an article from the Dallas Morning News, Jody Hopkins, the Executive Director of Texas Association of Texas Charitable Clinics, claimed that “[doctors’] regular sources are drying up” and they will “run out of (personal protective equipment)” and don’t know what to do. As a community, we believe it is necessary to raise money and support these hard-working heroes by supplying them with proper medical equipment.

We are also donating to the North Texas Food Bank and Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, TX. During the extended closures of schools, businesses, and events, the NTFB and Minnie’s Food Pantry are seeing an increase in demand that exceeds the amount of resources being supplied to them. According to Minnie’s Food Pantry, their “shelves are going bare” due to lessened food drives, minimal donations, and they see “a 20% increase in clientele”. Since unemployment is rising and more children are staying home from school, these demands will even further increase in the future. The pantries are calling for monetary and food donations. Donating money to the North Texas Food Bank and Minnie’s Food Pantry will help with their food shortage that is caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

As members of the Dallas community, we can’t just sit back and expect the pandemic to heal on its own. WE must take action! Together, we can brighten the day for hundreds of individuals affected by food and supply shortages in local food banks. Together, we will spread love and support these heroic doctors, nurses, and patients in their difficult fight against the Coronavirus. Together, we can shed positivity on this grave pandemic that is troubling not only the U.S., but also the entire global community! 

FAQ

Where is our supply of masks coming from?

We are partnering up with a manufacturer from Taizhou, China. The masks we are purchasing are CE certified FFP2 masks. FFP2 masks have a minimum of 94% filtration percentage and maximum 8% leakage to the inside, meaning that they are similar in quality to N95 masks.  

Why can’t we let the hospitals directly connect with the mask manufacturers? Why are we acting as the middleman?

The mask producers we are partnering with are located in China. Because of the conditions at the moment, China’s mask exports have slowed down. Thus, hospitals in the US need special connections to get in contact with foreign mask manufacturers. There are also language and cultural barriers that would inhibit the process.

Why are we raising funds for food banks when people can donate directly to them?

Yes, people can directly donate to those food pantries and we strongly encourage them to do so! All of the remaining funds from purchasing and shipping masks will directly go to the food pantries. We are doing this to raise more awareness regarding their food and supply shortage. Also, extending this campaign to the public fuels more donations to these food banks. Again, 100% of the distributed funds will go to NTFB and Minnie’s Food Pantry, so you are doing an act of kindness regardless of which option you donate to!




QUOTES AND STORIES

“Our shelves are going bare. With no food drives and minimal donations combined with an increase in families served, the outgoing far exceeds the incoming.” -Minnie’s Food Pantry, https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/03/17/our-shelves-are-going-bare-north-texas-food-pantries-remain-open-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/

“Our regular sources are drying up. Basically when we run out of (personal protective equipment) we don’t know what we will do.” -Jody Hopkins, Executive Director of Texas Association of Texas Charitable Clinics 

“[The] Strategic National Stockpile, has less than 15 percent of the respirators and face masks needed to address the virus spread, according to National Geographic.” -”Doctors in Texas Struggling to Get Masks to Protect Themselves from Coronavirus https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/03/14/doctors-in-texas-struggle-to-get-masks-to-protect-themselves-from-coronavirus/