SAN DIEGO, Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 25, 2020, the Muslim Coalition for America (MCA) announced its COVID-19 Relief Task Force to deliver urgently needed personal protective equipment (PPE) to America's most vulnerable populations. With face masks retailing at $5-18 per piece, a serious economic burden is placed on our most vulnerable populations and low-income families to stay safer.
MCA is committed to ensuring lower income families and underprivileged children can be safer while engaging in productive activities. MCA is partnering with Uber Freight to donate approximately 620,000 face masks to Boys & Girls Clubs of America this week so that Club constituents across America can more safely participate in programming conducted in person across 4,700 sites serving more than 4.6 million young people. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is filling a critical gap for thousands of youth as schools remain closed for in-person learning. With this donation, hundreds of thousands of Club youth will be provided reusable face masks, enabling them to more safely access Boys & Girls Club's innovative, life-changing programs.
Uber Freight will leverage its logistics capabilities to deliver the 620,000 face masks from California to the Midwest, where currently there is a surge in COVID-19 infection rates. The masks will be delivered to the Boys & Girls Club of South Elgin, Illinois. Uber Freight is facilitating the delivery of these masks at no cost to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
On Friday, December 18 at the Boys & Girls Club of South Elgin (735 Martin Drive, South Elgin, IL 60177), Boys & Girls Clubs of America will hold a press event as it receives the 620,000 masks. Media is requested to attend to cover Uber Freight's delivery at 2 p.m. CST this Friday, December 18.
The masks will then be sent to additional Clubs across the U.S. and directly distributed to youth.
"It's been our honor to be the logistics partner for this project and help Muslim Coalition for America get these masks into the hands of Boys & Girls Club youth across America" said Lior Ron, Head of Uber Freight. "Through Uber Freight's 10 Million Pound Challenge, we are proud to help transport critical equipment to communities in need during these difficult times."
"We are so grateful to the Muslim Coalition for America for this unprecedented donation," said Jim Clark, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "This donation comes at a crucial time as Clubs across the country continually need PPE equipment and supplies to safely reopen or remain open to serve kids, families and communities. We want to personally say thank you to the Muslim Coalition for America and we hope others will follow MCA's lead and support local Clubs in their community."
MCA Founder Omar Qudrat was excited to support Boys & Girls Clubs of America through this round of donations, "I am a Boys & Girls Clubs alum. When I heard that this great organization needed personal protective equipment, I knew Muslim Coalition for America was the solution. What we want to say to all of America's most vulnerable populations is Muslim Coalition for America is here for you. We have your back. We will not stop supporting our most vulnerable populations until everyone is safe from this pandemic."
MCA previously provided 90,000 masks to supply all 458 Boys & Girls Clubs across California. With this deployment of 620,000 masks, MCA's donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America totals to approximately 700,000 face masks estimated at a value of approximately $3.5 million. MCA received the masks as a generous donation from Community Outreach Promoting Emergency Preparedness (COPE), a California based 501(c)(3) disaster response and management organization.
MCA will continue to support communities throughout America, with up to 1,000,000 face masks distributed to vulnerable and underserved populations by February 2021.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America: For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,700 Clubs serve 4.6 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter.
About MCA: Muslim Coalition for America is a non-political non-partisan 501(c)(3) dedicated to defending America's national security, standing against bigotry and intolerance in all of its forms, uniting Americans and promoting American values as enshrined in the Constitution. www.muslimcoalitionforamerica.org
