One of the top priorities of the InfoTrust Foundation [a registered 501(c)(3)] is supporting the communities in which InfoTrust team members live and work. Over the past (very hectic) few weeks, our leaders have worked to educate themselves on the nuances of acquiring protective equipment for front-line healthcare professionals. As you are likely aware, there is a shortage of medical-grade protective masks in the U.S., putting many of those who are at the highest risk for contamination in even further danger.We are certainly not experts in this space, but here is what we’ve learned through research:
- Taking care of a patient who is in intensive care for a 24-hour shift requires 13 N-95 face masks.
- Most warehouse in the U.S. are sold out of masks.
- Given the circumstances, it’s a seller’s market, and purchases have to be prepaid.
In Ohio—home to two InfoTrust offices—20% of confirmed coronavirus cases are healthcare workers (as of 4/2/20).
So how can we—and you—help? Beyond doing your part to practice social distancing, ensuring medical professionals have the simplest of protective equipment will go a long way.
The InfoTrust Foundation is launching a crowdsourcing campaign to urgently raise $100,000 for the purchase/production of medical masks; these masks will go to medical professionals who are doing so much to help curb this pandemic and treat those who are suffering from the coronavirus.
Here is our plan as it currently stands:
- As we continue to raise funds, we are simultaneously searching for local partners.
- Two such partners we have already joined up with include Cintrifuse and Polar3D. Polar3D has begun 3D-printing masks in Cincinnati’s Union Hall with support from Cintrifuse and InfoTrust. (View Cincinnati Business Courier article.)
- We will also be searching for any schools, labs, construction facilities that are closed, veterinary clinics, etc. that have masks in storage and partner with them if possible.
We do not have the perfect plan yet, but we must act now, as we have not reached the peak of this virus spike. Therefore, it is critical that protective equipment gets to our region ASAP. We ask that you have faith in our initiative, as faith is what we need right now. As CEO of InfoTrust, my family has committed $25,000 of personal savings to jump-start this campaign. Join us in this cause as we do our part to help those on the front-line in our communities.
Superheroes wear masks. Let’s make sure they have them.
Donate Now Via the InfoTrust Foundation
Below is a video from a personal friend of my, Dr. Jaime Hope, who practices emergency medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Thank you so much for supporting us on this on this mission. We aim to help protect those on the front-line, but also our extended communities and, of course, our loved ones. This is a personal mission for us, as I hope it is for you, as well.
Partnership with Cintrifuse and Polar3D
InfoTrust is thrilled to have partnered with Cintrifuse and Polar3D for the production of 3D-printed masks in downtown Cincinnati. To address the severe shortage of protective masks, this “pop-up” mask production operation in Union Hall is leveraging 3D printers around the clock. Read more about this partnership here.
$143,000-worth of equipment has been delivered to the Union Hall “Beer Hall Mask Factory” for this relief effort, including 100 3D printers and 1,000+ rolls of filament.
So far, 3D-printed masks from this makeshift operation have been delivered to:
- Mercy Health
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati
- Blue Ash Fire Department
Want to “try on” one of Polar3D’s masks at home? Try this Facebook filter created by one of our engineers, Michael Stadtmiller.
Thank You to Luminex
As we aim to support healthcare workers in our local communities, InfoTrust is absolutely thrilled to share that a fellow Blue Ash business, Luminex (parent company of the Candle-Lite Company brand) has extended an incredibly generous offer to donate 10,000 PPE face shields to healthcare workers on the frontline of this fight agains COVID-19. We are currently working with Luminex on the appropriate donation process.
Please join us in thanking Luminex for doing what they can to help increase the safety of healthcare workers!
Relevant Resources and News
- “DeWine to Ohio manufacturers: We need more protective gear” (Cincinnati Business Courier, 3/29/20)
- CDC infographic on the differences between surgical and N95 masks
- “12 UIC nurses test positive for virus, blame lack of proper equipment” (WGN-TV, 3/27/20)
- “Sports apparel company stops making MLB jerseys to manufacture protective masks and gowns” (The Washington Post, 3/27/20))
- Ohio Department of Health Coronavirus Information Portal
- Ohio Department of Health: Personal Protective Equipment Needed (press release, 3/26/20)
- Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 Dashboard
- Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber COVID-19 Update (3/28/20)
- “Cincinnati startups band together to create hundreds of masks for healthcare industry” (Cincinnati Business Courier, 4/3/20)
- “‘War Time’ Friday Forward” (robertglazer.com, 4/2/20)
- “Blue Ash small business crowdsourcing masks, goal of $100,000” (Local12, 4/11/20)