Residents asked to help frontline workers access protective gear,

A new multi-organizational effort launched by the Los Angeles County Business Federation Thursday is calling on residents countywide to help frontline workers access safety equipment in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a call to action for all of us in L.A. County to engage and ensure all workers have the needed personal protective equipment to keep them safe as they serve others,” read the message on the county’s Business Federation, also known as BizFed Institute, website.

BizFed announced the launch Thursday of the partnership, which is comprised of the county; the California Legislature; the Hospital Association of Southern California, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Los Angeles locals and 195 business associations with BizFed that represent more than 400,000 employers.

“This is business and labor coming together really to fill the gap,” said BizFed spokeswoman Paola Flores, adding that the partnership aims to complement Gov. Gavin Newsom and other local government efforts in helping bring protective equipment to workers.

“By leveraging these distinctive partnerships, we are reaching every corner of our county and protecting those heroes who are on the front line,” Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, whose 5th district represents the Santa Clarita Valley, said in a prepared statement.

To help bring PPE to workers, BizFed has set up a webpage where the public can donate medical and nonmedical safety supplies in any quantity or make monetary contributions via bizfedinstitute.org/covid-19-supplies.

For additional information, contact Mitchell Vieyra at mitchell.vieyra@ bizfed.org or 949-838-7497.