Downtown Alliance Distributes Personal Protective Equipment Face Masks To Lower Manhattan Schools
UPDATE, September 29: Our mask supply is currently depleted. We will keep you posted if and when that changes. Thank you.
The Alliance for Downtown New York, the nonprofit business improvement district for Lower Manhattan, distributed 28,000 PPE face masks to area public and independent schools this last week, as part of the organization’s focus on keeping the neighborhood clean, safe and healthy in the COVID-19 era.
The Alliance delivered masks to a total of seven local schools, including several elementary, middle and preschools. Each one received two boxes of masks, totaling 4,000 per school. Jessica Lappin, president of the Alliance for Downtown New York, personally made a delivery to the Spruce Street School.
“We are pleased to be able to present our local schools with necessary personal protective equipment to help them kick off the academic year,” Lappin said. “It’s essential to help protect our students, hardworking teachers and support staff as they embark on a safe, productive and healthy semester.”
New York City’s public schools begin with a phased-in blended learning program; though teachers and support staff are largely back on campus, Mayor de Blasio announced this week that elementary school students will learn virtually until September 29, with middle and high schoolers returning to the classroom on October 1. Preschoolers and students with special needs will attend in person starting Monday.
Enhanced sanitation and social distancing measures are in place at all city schools, and students and staff will be required to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Alliance provided PPE face masks to the following schools:
Spruce Street School – PS 3978 Spruce Street
Battery Park City School – PS/IS 27655 Battery Place
Liberty School – PS 89201 Warren Street
Hudson River Middle School – IS 289201 Warren Street
Peck Slip School – PS 3431 Peck Slip
Blue School241 Water Street
Bright Beginnings Preschool80 Beekman Street
The Alliance previously distributed tens of thousands of masks to as many as 300 Lower Manhattan businesses through donations from Fosun and the City of New York. Masks are still available in batches of 90 on a first-come, first-served basis. To request a supply, contact the Alliance’s Director of Storefront Business Engagement Heather Ducharme at [email protected].
The Alliance for Downtown New York extends great thanks to Fosun for its generous donations of the masks as well as the City of New York for its assistance.