Real Heroes Need Masks

Real Heroes Need Masks (https://www.realheroesneedmasks.com/) is a social initiative whose mission is to streamline the donation process, identify and distribute mask donations fairly to hospitals and facilities in need and build awareness of the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage in the COVID-19 pandemic, 

Our Story   
                        
We formed out of a weekend accelerator 2 weeks ago. Our co-founders are surgeons who wanted to find a way to give back to communities in need. 

The greatest need for healthcare professionals on the front lines is masks - masks are the first line of defense when dealing directly with COVID-19 patients. Hospitals currently are using substantially more than the average daily PPE. There is a global PPE shortage complicated by supply chain disruption and frenzy buying by individuals.

Consequently, healthcare professionals are being asked to reuse and conserve although this increases their risk of contracting COVID-19 or infecting their families. Many have fallen ill or been put in self-quarantine. Front line medical professionals need our help to continue their fight to save lives.


What we do    
                    
We started this fundraising campaign to provide a solution to this supply gap and are pledging our GoFundMe donations to source surgical mask factories and deliver them directly to the communities with need.

        * We focus on targeted distribution.  We have a network of local volunteer coordinators that help connect to hospitals and facilities that are in the most urgent need in their areas.
        * We secure reliable supply sources. With the help of our connections, we have developed direct and reliable relationships with verified manufacturers to source our masks.
        * We accomplish what we promise. We have been able to donate tens of thousands of masks to hospitals and clinics in several states across the US. For more details, please see here: https://www.realheroesneedmasks.com/donate

Our Campaign Goal 
                        
Our goal going forward is to acquire, distribute, and deliver FIFTY THOUSAND (50,000) surgical masks to those most in need! 

If we surpass our goal, we will keep acquiring additional PPE for frontline healthcare workers until every last penny is spent. 

Join us today to help protect our medical workers! Please leave a comment for us to get to know you. Your comments will encourage others to act for the cause. Share with us your 

- Where you are from 
- Where did you hear about us (1 - Facebook, 2 - Twitter, 3 - Instagram, 4 - Google, 5 - IU Affiliation, 6 - Physician network, 7 - Other).                  


Our Commitment 
    
We are committed to being fully transparent with our process. We also strive to tackle this problem in a holistic manner, making sure that masks are distributed fairly. 

For stories & photos of how your donations helped, please follow us  at
                        
    Website: realheroesneedmasks.com
    Twitter: @RealHeroesMasks
    Instagram: @RealHeroesNeedMasks
    Facebook: @Real Heroes Need Masks
    Hashtag: #RealHeroesNeedMasks
        
    For any other inquiries: [email redacted].
 
 


Our Team

    Dr. Amani Jambhekar:Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Jambhekar is a surgical oncologist in Houston, Texas. She is in her final term of obtaining her MBA from the Kelley School of Business.

    Dr. Mona Stone:Chief Marketing Officer. Dr. Stone is an oral maxillofacial surgeon in Dallas, Texas.

    Logan Wilhelm: Chief Research Officer. He is an 8-year military veteran and is currently in his last year of obtaining his MBA through the Kelley School of Business. 

    Jun Yang: Chief Operations Officer. She is an Associate Professor of Finance at IU Kelley School of Business. She has expertise in FinTech and corporate governance, as well as direct relationships with reliable mask suppliers.
                        
For more details on all our members, please visit here https://www.realheroesneedmasks.com/team



FAQ  

How will the funds be used? 
                        
                        
Funds will go directly to facilitating the purchase and delivery of masks. Our entire team is donating their time and have foregone compensation for their work. No one on the Real Heroes Need Masks team is compensated or benefiting financially in any way from this campaign. 


I've seen other charity efforts related to COVID-19. How is this one different? 
                        
Unlike other charities, your donation with our campaign will go directly to support the acquisition of masks from FDA-verified manufacturers for the underserved communities in need. We are also related directly to the supply of PPE from certified factories because we believe that is the best way to ensure counterfeit products aren't being donated to hospital workers.  



What have you accomplished so far?

(1) We've identified and successfully distributed mask donations from FDA approved factories who can produce surgical masks. We've also identified supply partners who can source other PPE items, including FDA-cleared N95 masks as well as NOISH-approved N95 and equivalent KN95 masks.
(2) We have established a network of connections to state and city volunteer coordinators to understand the immediate needs in their areas. 

(3) We have already begun distributing surgical masks and plan on working with supply partners to scale those purchases in the coming weeks. We are constantly putting the money we raise to work.

Why aren't the hospitals & government ordering these masks directly? 

Hospitals, as well as government agencies, are trying their best to procure masks. However, due to supply chain limitations and global competition, they are currently experiencing extreme shortages. We are fortunate to have close relationships with many of the factories producing masks. 

Are donations tax-deductible?  

Currently, donations are not tax-deductible. If you know of a 501(c)3 charity in this space that would like to sponsor our effort, we would love to partner with them. Until then, we have realized that the need is so urgent that we must move forward and hope that you will donate. This is subject to change, and we will be sure to update donors promptly. 

I am a healthcare professional at a hospital that is currently treating COVID-19 patients. We are short on masks. How do we request masks?  

We do not take direct requests for masks on our website because we have many partner organizations that already do a fantastic job taking individual hospital requests. Please visit our website to see a list of our partners.  

Aside from donations, how can we help? 


        1.If you have masks to donate and want to be connected to those in need, you can fill out this form: www.realheroesneedmasks.com/donatemasks
        2.We are actively recruiting! If you have public relations or nonprofit experience, we can use your expertise! Please email us at [email redacted].
        3.Finally, please leave a comment for us to get to know you. Your comments will encourage others to act for the cause. Share with us 
            - Where you are from 
            - Where did you hear about us (1 - IU Affiliation, 2 - Physician network, 3 - Friend and  Family connections, 4 - Go Fund Me, 5 - Social Media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).