UAC Fund- We Care for the Elderly
Donation protected
On Memorial Day, the New York Times presented a disturbing yet strikingly powerful article about Americans who have died from COVID-19. It was more than a long list of one thousand names. The dynamic passions and achievements of each individual convey a vivid message beyond statistics: They were us.
Two months ago, none of us would have imagined that the U.S. COVID-19 death toll would exceed 100,000 or that nursing homes would become the epicenters of the outbreaks. According to the CDC, 8 out of 10 COVID-19 deaths were seniors over the age of 65 living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities. Many families losing loved ones have been gripped by profound grieves and sorrows.
With the gradual resumption of the economic activities and lack of effective vaccines, the fight with the COVID-19 remains challenging. CDC’s updated model predicts that a second wave of COVID-19 infections will jeopardize 190,000 lives in the United States by September 1st. We cannot afford to wait for the inevitable second wave to hit. We must take action now to equip the medical workers to save vulnerable senior citizens and the loved ones for families!
Join us to win the fight. Your contribution can save lives! As our token of appreciation, we are giving out a cloth face mask (picture below) worth $10 to donors whose donation is $50 or more. Please forward your receipt email with your shipping address to gift@uac-heroes.org.
United Against COVID-19: Who are we, and what have we already done?
United Against COVID-19 (UAC) is a non-profit organization consisting of donors, volunteers, doctors, psychotherapists, and social workers. We have 20 full-time volunteers and an online community of nearly 100 people. Our mission is to unite everyone’s efforts to win the struggle against COVID-19.
Since April 15th, we have sent over one hundred shipments of personal protective equipment (PPE) to front-line medical staff and communities. We have donated to 31 hospitals across 10 U.S. states and 14 community institutions, including nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, police and fire departments, hospice centers, etc. Some of our contributions can be found on our Facebook page .
Our goal and commitment
Our first stage fundraising goal is $20,000 to equip the medical workers in 20 nursing homes or other long-term care facilities with the essential PPEs that cost about $1000 per facility.
We pledge to use all funds from this campaign to purchase and donate PPEs to medical workers, residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and other relevant people in need. Moreover, we will:
1. Use our previous donation experience to aid nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to quickly address their urgent PPE shortages.
2. Ensure that all donated PPEs meet the quality and medical standards of receiving facilities.
FAQs:
1. Isn’t the supply of PPE starting to keep up with the demand? Why are facilities still lacking in PPE?
Stockpile amounts vary throughout the U.S. and many long-term care facilities such as nursing homes continue to suffer PPE shortages in the foreseeable future due to a lack of crisis preparation and a lack of funding, and thus have become the epicenter of COVID-19 deaths.
The dire circumstances faced by nursing homes is best demonstrated in the following quotes taken from a May 21st report of outbreaks at several nursing homes in Florida:
“Kristen Knapp, spokeswoman for the Florida Health Care Association, a nursing home trade group, said there are shortages of PPE in most of the state’s nearly 700 nursing homes… When last surveyed, her members reported having about two weeks’ worth of supplies on hand. But, Knapp said, “if you have a positive case in the building, you will burn through that more quickly.”
Dale Ewart, Florida regional director for 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, said, "At the beginning of the pandemic, most of the attention was focused on hospitals and their staff… But now we understand the significant danger in long-term care facilities and we need to pay attention. Nursing homes are the epicenter of mortality."
2. How will UAC reach nursing homes and provide the service?
We have compiled a list of nursing homes and prioritized them according to a report on May 9th from the New York Times, detailing cases and deaths by facility and by state based on data from the CDC. The first priority will be nursing homes with the highest mortality rates. The second priority will be nursing homes with poor funding and economic backing.
We will reach out to them according to the list to inquire about their PPE needs. We have also distributed an online form so that the nursing homes and other facilities can request PPE directly from us.
3. What PPEs will be purchased with GoFundMe donations?
We will supply nursing homes with whichever supply they need most. Our goal is to provide facilities with a well-stocked inventory of essential medical equipment (e.g. medical-grade masks, protective gowns, and face shields) for their personnel and everyday essentials (e.g. face masks and disinfecting wipes) for the elderly residents at these facilities.
4. How will UAC ensure the quality of medical supplies?
Among UAC volunteers there are experts who have helped many volunteer groups in the U.S., Europe, and China to ensure the proper selection and donation of medical devices & PPEs. Some of them have knowledge of the medical device regulatory systems of the U.S. and China, and others have been working in medical procurement and are experienced in international trade. Thus to date, UAC has a proven track record of donation of quality supplies, and here we humbly share some of the responses by our recipients.
5. What are the sources of procurement?
For urgently needed supplies, we purchase from verified domestic suppliers who have limited inventory but could provide the fastest delivery. For requests in larger quantities, we import FDA-approved PPEs from China.
6. Is my donation tax deductible?
We have applied for the registration of our non-profit organization “UAC Heroes”. Once it gets approved, we will issue a tax deductible receipt to you upon request. Please email donation@uac-heroes.org if you would like such a receipt.
7. Is there any receipt, gift or certificate after my donation?
We are thrilled to receive your support for UAC!
Receipts will be automatically and immediately sent to your email address in case of donations through the platforms like GoFundMe and PayPal, otherwise will be manually sent to your email address by our volunteers.
A cloth face mask worth $10 will be given out as our token of appreciation to donors whose donation is $50 or more. Please forward your receipt email with your shipping address to gift@uac-heroes.org.
A certificate of gratitude will also be provided to donors whose donation is $500 or more. Please forward your receipt email to donation@uac-heroes.org.
8. I am not a staff in a nursing home, but I do live/work in a facility/institution with a PPE shortage. Can I request supplies?
Yes! We are here to help and protect those most in need. You can fill out this form: http://uac-heroes.org/request.
9. I want to join the UAC volunteer community! How do I join?
Please send an email to info@uac-heroes.org or contact us on WeChat via 27685457 to apply to join the UAC volunteer community. We will discuss details to further clarify how we can collaborate.
10. Didn't find the answer to your question?
Please leave a comment and we’ll get back to you.
Our team
Ivy Liu is an MBA from the Yale School of Management, Ed-tech entrepreneur, and certified life coach. Ivy found her passion in coaching and assisting people to uncover their inner leaders and express their deepest love and courage. She has been an active volunteer for PPEs donation and free coaching service since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Kenneth Xu is a software engineer who anticipated the current storm when the number of COVID-19 patients in New York was in the single digits. With support from donors, his team has sent 40,000-plus KN95 masks to over 40 hospitals in New York and New Jersey during the most critical time of infection rates.
Zhiying Li is a life scientist. While the biological nature of the COVID-19 virus intrigues her, it is the multi-faceted impact of the pandemic that concerns her the most. The desire to contribute as a member of the society drew her to UAC.
Alkane Shao is a research scientist in Biomedical Engineering. With his abundant knowledge of the medical devices and the US&EU medical device regulatory systems, he has helped ensure the proper selection and donation of medical devices & PPEs for many volunteer groups in China and in the States.
Xiaozhong Hu is a surgeon and a certified teacher of the re-evaluation counseling group with ten years of psychological counseling experience. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, he has been actively providing psychological counseling to volunteers, doctors, patients, and their families. He currently helps volunteers both in China and in the States to fight the pandemic.
Sue Zhang runs a boutique alternative investment firm in New York City and is a co-founder of a technology startup. She is inspired to help underprivileged children and people in need. Sue recognized the urgent needs of medical resources during COVID-19 and has been enthusiastically volunteering to contribute with resources and services.
Sara Chang is an MBA of SUNY at Stony Brook. She has been devoting herself to the contribution in Buddhist associations and is currently the founder of the non-profit organization "Happy Buddha Shop". She organized PPE donations to frontline medical workers prior to joining UAC and now applies her expertise in the procurement and logistics of PPE supplies.
Yan Zhang is a full-time mom and enthusiastic volunteer in community and school affairs. She worked in the Canadian federal government as a financial management advisor before moving to the U.S. in 2015. Drawing from her expertise as a certified accountant, she now oversees UAC’s accounting activities.
Susan Wang is a New York licensed acupuncturist and medical professional. Hand-in-hand with her husband, who is a frontline pandemic medical worker himself, she serves as a UAC liaison for healthcare workers in need of PPEs.
Shirley Zhou is an MBA of Schulich School of Business Administration and works in the enterprise health management industry. During the COVID-19 outbreak in China, her courage to reach out to the needed ones healed both the others and herself from the emotional impact. Now, she brings her expertise to UAC to help more people in need.
Two months ago, none of us would have imagined that the U.S. COVID-19 death toll would exceed 100,000 or that nursing homes would become the epicenters of the outbreaks. According to the CDC, 8 out of 10 COVID-19 deaths were seniors over the age of 65 living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities. Many families losing loved ones have been gripped by profound grieves and sorrows.
With the gradual resumption of the economic activities and lack of effective vaccines, the fight with the COVID-19 remains challenging. CDC’s updated model predicts that a second wave of COVID-19 infections will jeopardize 190,000 lives in the United States by September 1st. We cannot afford to wait for the inevitable second wave to hit. We must take action now to equip the medical workers to save vulnerable senior citizens and the loved ones for families!
Join us to win the fight. Your contribution can save lives! As our token of appreciation, we are giving out a cloth face mask (picture below) worth $10 to donors whose donation is $50 or more. Please forward your receipt email with your shipping address to gift@uac-heroes.org.
United Against COVID-19: Who are we, and what have we already done?
United Against COVID-19 (UAC) is a non-profit organization consisting of donors, volunteers, doctors, psychotherapists, and social workers. We have 20 full-time volunteers and an online community of nearly 100 people. Our mission is to unite everyone’s efforts to win the struggle against COVID-19.
Since April 15th, we have sent over one hundred shipments of personal protective equipment (PPE) to front-line medical staff and communities. We have donated to 31 hospitals across 10 U.S. states and 14 community institutions, including nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, police and fire departments, hospice centers, etc. Some of our contributions can be found on our Facebook page .
Our goal and commitment
Our first stage fundraising goal is $20,000 to equip the medical workers in 20 nursing homes or other long-term care facilities with the essential PPEs that cost about $1000 per facility.
We pledge to use all funds from this campaign to purchase and donate PPEs to medical workers, residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and other relevant people in need. Moreover, we will:
1. Use our previous donation experience to aid nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to quickly address their urgent PPE shortages.
2. Ensure that all donated PPEs meet the quality and medical standards of receiving facilities.
FAQs:
1. Isn’t the supply of PPE starting to keep up with the demand? Why are facilities still lacking in PPE?
Stockpile amounts vary throughout the U.S. and many long-term care facilities such as nursing homes continue to suffer PPE shortages in the foreseeable future due to a lack of crisis preparation and a lack of funding, and thus have become the epicenter of COVID-19 deaths.
The dire circumstances faced by nursing homes is best demonstrated in the following quotes taken from a May 21st report of outbreaks at several nursing homes in Florida:
“Kristen Knapp, spokeswoman for the Florida Health Care Association, a nursing home trade group, said there are shortages of PPE in most of the state’s nearly 700 nursing homes… When last surveyed, her members reported having about two weeks’ worth of supplies on hand. But, Knapp said, “if you have a positive case in the building, you will burn through that more quickly.”
Dale Ewart, Florida regional director for 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, said, "At the beginning of the pandemic, most of the attention was focused on hospitals and their staff… But now we understand the significant danger in long-term care facilities and we need to pay attention. Nursing homes are the epicenter of mortality."
2. How will UAC reach nursing homes and provide the service?
We have compiled a list of nursing homes and prioritized them according to a report on May 9th from the New York Times, detailing cases and deaths by facility and by state based on data from the CDC. The first priority will be nursing homes with the highest mortality rates. The second priority will be nursing homes with poor funding and economic backing.
We will reach out to them according to the list to inquire about their PPE needs. We have also distributed an online form so that the nursing homes and other facilities can request PPE directly from us.
3. What PPEs will be purchased with GoFundMe donations?
We will supply nursing homes with whichever supply they need most. Our goal is to provide facilities with a well-stocked inventory of essential medical equipment (e.g. medical-grade masks, protective gowns, and face shields) for their personnel and everyday essentials (e.g. face masks and disinfecting wipes) for the elderly residents at these facilities.
4. How will UAC ensure the quality of medical supplies?
Among UAC volunteers there are experts who have helped many volunteer groups in the U.S., Europe, and China to ensure the proper selection and donation of medical devices & PPEs. Some of them have knowledge of the medical device regulatory systems of the U.S. and China, and others have been working in medical procurement and are experienced in international trade. Thus to date, UAC has a proven track record of donation of quality supplies, and here we humbly share some of the responses by our recipients.
5. What are the sources of procurement?
For urgently needed supplies, we purchase from verified domestic suppliers who have limited inventory but could provide the fastest delivery. For requests in larger quantities, we import FDA-approved PPEs from China.
6. Is my donation tax deductible?
We have applied for the registration of our non-profit organization “UAC Heroes”. Once it gets approved, we will issue a tax deductible receipt to you upon request. Please email donation@uac-heroes.org if you would like such a receipt.
7. Is there any receipt, gift or certificate after my donation?
We are thrilled to receive your support for UAC!
Receipts will be automatically and immediately sent to your email address in case of donations through the platforms like GoFundMe and PayPal, otherwise will be manually sent to your email address by our volunteers.
A cloth face mask worth $10 will be given out as our token of appreciation to donors whose donation is $50 or more. Please forward your receipt email with your shipping address to gift@uac-heroes.org.
A certificate of gratitude will also be provided to donors whose donation is $500 or more. Please forward your receipt email to donation@uac-heroes.org.
8. I am not a staff in a nursing home, but I do live/work in a facility/institution with a PPE shortage. Can I request supplies?
Yes! We are here to help and protect those most in need. You can fill out this form: http://uac-heroes.org/request.
9. I want to join the UAC volunteer community! How do I join?
Please send an email to info@uac-heroes.org or contact us on WeChat via 27685457 to apply to join the UAC volunteer community. We will discuss details to further clarify how we can collaborate.
10. Didn't find the answer to your question?
Please leave a comment and we’ll get back to you.
Our team
Ivy Liu is an MBA from the Yale School of Management, Ed-tech entrepreneur, and certified life coach. Ivy found her passion in coaching and assisting people to uncover their inner leaders and express their deepest love and courage. She has been an active volunteer for PPEs donation and free coaching service since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Kenneth Xu is a software engineer who anticipated the current storm when the number of COVID-19 patients in New York was in the single digits. With support from donors, his team has sent 40,000-plus KN95 masks to over 40 hospitals in New York and New Jersey during the most critical time of infection rates.
Zhiying Li is a life scientist. While the biological nature of the COVID-19 virus intrigues her, it is the multi-faceted impact of the pandemic that concerns her the most. The desire to contribute as a member of the society drew her to UAC.
Alkane Shao is a research scientist in Biomedical Engineering. With his abundant knowledge of the medical devices and the US&EU medical device regulatory systems, he has helped ensure the proper selection and donation of medical devices & PPEs for many volunteer groups in China and in the States.
Xiaozhong Hu is a surgeon and a certified teacher of the re-evaluation counseling group with ten years of psychological counseling experience. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, he has been actively providing psychological counseling to volunteers, doctors, patients, and their families. He currently helps volunteers both in China and in the States to fight the pandemic.
Sue Zhang runs a boutique alternative investment firm in New York City and is a co-founder of a technology startup. She is inspired to help underprivileged children and people in need. Sue recognized the urgent needs of medical resources during COVID-19 and has been enthusiastically volunteering to contribute with resources and services.
Sara Chang is an MBA of SUNY at Stony Brook. She has been devoting herself to the contribution in Buddhist associations and is currently the founder of the non-profit organization "Happy Buddha Shop". She organized PPE donations to frontline medical workers prior to joining UAC and now applies her expertise in the procurement and logistics of PPE supplies.
Yan Zhang is a full-time mom and enthusiastic volunteer in community and school affairs. She worked in the Canadian federal government as a financial management advisor before moving to the U.S. in 2015. Drawing from her expertise as a certified accountant, she now oversees UAC’s accounting activities.
Susan Wang is a New York licensed acupuncturist and medical professional. Hand-in-hand with her husband, who is a frontline pandemic medical worker himself, she serves as a UAC liaison for healthcare workers in need of PPEs.
Shirley Zhou is an MBA of Schulich School of Business Administration and works in the enterprise health management industry. During the COVID-19 outbreak in China, her courage to reach out to the needed ones healed both the others and herself from the emotional impact. Now, she brings her expertise to UAC to help more people in need.
Fundraising team: UAC (8)
United Against Covid-19
Organizer
Raised $20 from 1 donation
New York, NY
UAC Team
Team member
Raised $300 from 3 donations
Yan Zhang
Team member
Raised $270 from 2 donations
Zhiying Li
Team member
Raised $245 from 4 donations
Kenneth Xu
Team member
Raised $100 from 1 donation
