DOING ITS PART

Lakeland donates supplies to health care facilities, community agencies across NEO

In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Lakeland Community College, like a myriad of regional institutions, is reaching out by providing variegated items to local partners in need.

As an educational setting preparing future health care professionals to serve in their chosen vocations, Lakeland has ample medical equipment.

“Lakeland is proud to do its part and we join colleges and universities throughout the country in donating supplies to our local communities,” said Lakeland President Morris W. Beverage Jr.

More than 11,000 examination gloves, 3,100 face masks, and related items, such as isolation and surgical gowns, have been distributed.

Donations came from the school’s health program areas that use the equipment, such as nursing, dental hygiene, surgical technology, medical assisting and medical laboratory.

“Our police department was able to donate a number of items as well,” Beverage said.

Agencies receiving medical supply donations from Lakeland include Lake Health, the Lake County Emergency Management Agency, the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Deepwood, LakeMed Care and Rehabilitation, the Windsor Laurelwood Center for Behavioral Medicine, and University Hospitals Geneva Medical Center.

In advance of projected needs, Lakeland’s nursing and paramedic programs are loaning four hospital beds to University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center.

The school’s respiratory therapy program is also loaning two ventilators to Lake Health and three to UH Ahuja Medical Center.

In addition to medical provisions, the college has also donated packages of food locally.

With no students onsite and the campus closed through at least May 1, Lakeland’s dining services have contributed a substantial amount of food and beverages to the Salvation Army of Painesville.

While aiding the community, Lakeland also continues responding to its students’ needs, with the abrupt transition to online classes being a challenge to students with no home access to a computer.

Chromebook laptops equipped with all applications needed to participate in online learning were made available to borrow at no cost for the remainder of the semester.

Additionally, because some students do not have online access at home, an Immediate Needs Grant was made available to purchase internet access through the end of the semester.

A majority of those grant funds are being used to assist students with basic needs, and the Cleveland Foundation’s Lake-Geauga Fund has provided additional funding for the grant to help students with food insecurities, Lakeland officials report.

“This grant was established for this very type of unexpected financial hardship that would prevent some students from completing the semester,” Beverage said. “For the students who work part time at area retailers, restaurants and other places that are now closed, their source of income is gone.”

The grant is administered through The Lakeland Foundation.

Due to the increase in the amount of assistance being sought by students, donations are being accepted at lakelandcc.edu/ foundation.

SUBMITTED SUBMITTED Movers from All America Moving and Storage recently transported medical equipment from Lakeland Community College to numerous heath care facilities across Northeast Ohio, including University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center. In the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Lakeland has also donated food and beverages to the community. Lakeland Community College has recently donated ventilators, beds and other medical equipment and supplies to various health care systems across Northeast Ohio. During the COVID-19 shutdown, the school has also provided laptops and free internet access to its students for the remainder of the semester.