HOW TO HELP
Here are ways you can help during the coronavirus pandemic:
Dayton Foundation has set up a COVID-19 Response Fund which will distribute all proceeds to vetted nonprofit organizations. To donate visit daytonfoundation.org/covideresponsefund-how-to-give. html.
St. Vincent de Paul is in need of packed lunches for its most vulnerable residents. Lunches can be dropped off at The Gathering Church, 8911 Yankee St., Centerville, between 4-6 p.m. on April 25th. SVS is looking for a hearty ham sandwich without condiments, two snacks, a bottled water or juice box and the date it was prepared written on the bag. Please use gloves and safety precau- tions when making food. For more information and to register to help email tshuler1@ aol.com.
YWCA Dayton has an Amazon Wish List for needs set up through Amazon Smile at ywcadayton.org/wishlist. YWCA is also taking financial donations at ywcadayton.org/ donate and is asking for the community to send encouraging messages to residents, clients and staff. Send a message by mail to YWCA Dayton with attention to communications, 141 W. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402 or email to communications@ ywcadayton.org.
Salvation Army and Sinclair Cares joined forces to create a “Your Neighbor Needs You” relief fund. To donate visit give.salvationarmyusa.org/campaign/sinclair-cares-covid-19/c277719.
Ohio Restaurant Association is looking for mon- etary donations to the Ohio Restaurant Employee Relief Fund. To give visit ohiorestaurantsrelief.org/aws/MARX/pt/ sp/RR_home_page or email relief@ohiorestaurant.org.
Declare is updating a Living City Project page with a list of current volunteer opportunities and donation needs in the greater Dayton area. For more informa- tion visit declare.org/livingcityproject or call 937-476-7521. To register to volunteer go to declare.org/givehelp and for medical workers declare.org/ givemedicalhelp. Volunteers will be required to meet the age, health and professional requirements of the organization they serve.
Hannah’s Treasure Chest provides children’s supplies to various partner agencies throughout the Miami Valley. HTC has an urgent need for monetary donations, disinfectant wipes and crib mattresses. To make a financial gift visit hannahstreasure.org/wp1/. A list of other accepted items can be found at hannahstreasure.org/wp1/get-involved/ donate/wish-list/. Items can be dropped off in donation bins located at 124 Westpark Road in Centerville. HTC is also looking for volunteers for the Blankets and Bears program. Anyone with an interest in sewing can e-mail trudy.bechtolt@hannahstreasure.org. Patterns and mate- rials can be provided.
Dayton Public Schools are accepting volunteers to assist with food distribu- tion. To sign up go to dps. k12.oh.us/Food-Distribution. html and submit an application. DPS asks that any volunteers be under the age of 50 and over the age of 18 or volunteer under the supervision of a parent/legal guardian.
The mask sterilization techn i que t hat Colum- bus-based Battelle made headlines for is now being used in-house by Premier Health through a different vendor.
The Dayton-based health system said the mask clean- ing process will be first used at Upper Valley Medical Center and at Miami Valley Hospital’s main campus.
Premier Health said
in a statement that it’s other hos- pital campuses, free-standing emergency departments, Fidelity Health Care, Premier Health Urgent Cares, and specimen collection site at UD Arena are expected to follow suit soon.
The news comes as Ohio hospitals work on plans to start doing elective procedures again, which were suspended to preserve critical gear such as masks, gloves and gowns. The supply chain remains tight, demand is high and donations are still being collected to protect front-line workers.
Premier Health had been sending masks to Battelle to sterilize and reuse N95 masks.
“The regulatory landscape around personal protective equipment continues to evolve rapidly,” Barbara Johnson, executive vice president and chief operating offi- cer of Premier Health, said in a statement. “We were recently made aware that the Food and Drug Administration has granted one of our vendors, STERIS, temporary approval to steril- ize and reuse masks. As a result, we have begun to bring this sterilization process in-house, resulting in faster turn-around times while still ensuring safe reuse of N95 masks.”
Premier Health employees write their names on their masks and have them returned to them after the cleaning process. Masks can be sterilized 10 times before they should be discarded, Premier said.