Staten Island Elected Officials Announce Donation from Sir Gary Kong President of Global Hero Foundation of 40,000 surgical masks, 800 N95 Masks

Joint statement by Borough President Oddo, Congressman Max Rose, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, Senator Diane Savino, Senator Andrew Lanza, Assemblyman Michael Cusick, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, Assemblyman Mike Reilly, Assemblyman Charles Fall, Councilman Steven Matteo, Councilman Joe Borelli, and Councilwoman Debi Rose:
 
“We are joining together to thank the Global Hero Foundation for coming forward at this time of need. Founders Gary Kong and Staten Island native Billie Mitchell remind us that as New Yorkers and Americans, we come together in times of need. This donation of 40,000 surgical masks and 800 N95 masks will immediately help safeguard those on the front lines of this imminent crisis. We are working closely with medical personnel in our hospitals and nursing homes to meet their needs. Additionally, we want to be sure that bus drivers who are transporting essential personnel to and from their jobs have the much needed protection, as they drive their routes.”
 
Deliveries of these masks will be made to support the needs of both of our hospitals, Staten Island University Hospital and Richmond University Medical Center. The supplies will also be distributed to members of 1199SEIU and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU). The following nursing homes and community-based organizations (CBOs) specializing in helping our special needs population will be receiving the personal protective equipment (PPE): Silver Lake Specialized Care Center, Staten Island Care Center, Richmond Care Center, Stella Orton Home Care, Richmond Home Needs Services, A Very Special Place, Person Centered Care Services (PCCS), Heartshare, Community Resources, Catholic Charities of SI, On Your Mark, Crossroads Unlimited Inc., Eden II, AHRC, Meals on Wheels, SIDDSO, Eger Nursing Home and Harbor House, and Detectives Endowment.
 
Additionally, Staten Island’s elected official delegation will continue to work in close coordination to continue directing PPE to the places they are most needed. On March 21, 2020, the Staten Island Delegation put out a call to any dentists or physicians who may be closing their offices during this time to donate their PPE so that healthcare professionals on the front lines of this crisis can continue to safely care for ill patients. The delegation has now extended this to all small businesses that are closed or seeing fewer patients during this time. Any offices interested in donating should visit www.statenislandusa.com/PPE and fill out the intake form. A staff member from Borough Hall will be in touch shortly to arrange pick up of your donations.
 
ABOUT THE GLOBAL HERO FOUNDATION www.globalherofoundation.org:

Founder Sir Gary Kong, also the owner of Classic New York beer and The 1 Wine www.the1wine.com, sits as co-chair for the Sino Chamber of Commerce.  Staten Island native, Billie Mitchell who is the CEO of the 1 Wine & Classic New York Beer is also the co-founder of the Global Hero Foundation along with Co- Founder Ying Zhu. It is a self-funded organization with a goal of saving lives, creating a better world and honoring those people who dedicated their lives to helping others. 
 
The mission of the Global Hero Foundation is to help ordinary people do extraordinary things. The Foundation achieves that goal by providing financial support, medical supplies, payment of medical bills, and travel expenses for those tasked with assisting others whenever and wherever disaster or crisis occurs. The Global Hero Foundation defines Global Heroes as: Doctors, Nurses, Medical Professionals, First Responders and members of point of contact organizations.
 
With the goal of helping to eradicate the spread of COVID-19 in China, the Global Hero Foundation recently sent more than 26,808 pounds (40 pallets) of medical supplies to the Red Cross Society of China, Fujian Branch to be distributed throughout nine provinces across the country to help protect the people and contain the virus, and to help eliminate the spread to other countries. 
 
Recognizing that New York City is experiencing a shortage of the N95 masks, the Global Hero Foundation has acquired 800 N95 Masks, and 40,000 cloth masks which will be distributed to local health care providers who are risking their lives to save and help individuals who may be afflicted with the coronavirus.