Sept. 3, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., 500 Dixie Hwy, Chicago Heights
Information provided by Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (September 2, 2020) – In an effort to curb the resurgent spread of COVID-19, Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness is partnering with County Board Commissioner Deborah Sims (5th District) to distribute thousands of free protective face masks at an event scheduled for Thursday, September 3 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 500 Dixie Highway, Chicago Heights.
The event will take place in the parking lot of the Aunt Martha’s Pediatric Health and Wellness Center. Sims’ District is among the regions indicated to have increased COVID-19 risk by the IDPH, with positivity rates of 11.2%.
“Research, and the experience of the people living in the 5th District, shows that the use of face masks is one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of COVID-19,” said Commissioner Sims.
The masks that will be distributed by Aunt Martha’s were made possible by the Palo Alto Networks COVID Relief Fund, which is employee led and company matched 4x.
“Palo Alto Network came to Aunt Martha’s with a desire to be part of the COVID-19 effort and together we decided that the most valuable use of these funds would be to produce and distribute masks in the communities hit hardest by the pandemic,” said Raul Garza, Aunt Martha’s President and CEO. “Wearing face masks is the simplest thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people around us.”
Aunt Martha’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has leveraged its resources to protect its front line staff, including health center staff, as well as those providing care in shelter settings, foster homes and responding to the needs of families in crisis. The agency was among the first selected to be part of Illinois’ expansion of COVID-19 testing, and one of the earliest to advocate for and bring online an expanded system of telehealth services.
