Jesus teaches us to serve and find Him in the least of our brothers and sisters.

“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Bible Matthew 25:40)

The huge needs of our heroes (frontline healthcare professionals/workers) are not properly met even though there are many local initiatives to help. We are inspired by God to step up to rally support from fellow Christians and friends to express our support and gratitude to those who are risking their lives to save others.

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Bible John 15:12-13)

The fluctuating and imbalance between the insufficient supply and huge demand of PPE presents a very challenging situation for healthcare facilities to source for sufficient PPE for their needs. This situation calls for more local initiatives to step up to source for PPE in order to provide more support to the frontliners.

There is a great shortage in the supply of PPE. Even when there is supply, the price has greatly inflated and is over the hospitals’ budget. Many hospitals and healthcare institutions have to rely on donated supplies to make ends meet. The most highly in demand N95 have different sizes to fit different face shapes. It is difficult to get enough quantities of different sizes to fit different frontliners.

Nurses and frontline healthcare professionals/workers among us have confirmed that there is a severe shortage of PPE at healthcare facilities in the GTA because the consumption each day is huge. For example, in many hospitals face shields are now one-time disposable items. Many hospitals even require the staff to take inventory of the PPE (especially N95) and lock up PPE at the end of each day to protect and to monitor the available supplies for the upcoming days/weeks. Some need to keep their used masks in case they need to be disinfected and reused in the future.

Because hospitals are required to provide every patient with face masks (at least level 2), this requirement has heightened the demand on face masks. Many types of PPE are in back order through the regular suppliers to the hospital networks.

The masks available in the marketplace do not meet the medical standards for PPE used at hospitals or healthcare facilities. They can only be used by the general public but not for frontline healthcare professionals/workers.

Mainly surgical masks (ASTM Level 2 or Level 3), respirators (N95 or KN95), face shields, goggles, coveralls, medical protective gowns, head covers, and shoe covers.

To ensure compliance to the medical standards of PPE in Canada, we source PPE mainly from the first-hand (reputable) suppliers in Canada and the USA. Supplies of PPE are very irregular during the pandemic. We keep constant contact with our suppliers to secure any PPE supplies that pop up so that we can efficiently allocate the PPE to those identified needs within GTA. Charitable initiatives like this campaign helps to match the supply with the demand during this extraordinary time.

FLL thanks those who have expressed interest in donating PPE they possess at home. Regretfully, FLL cannot accept donated PPE from individuals because we need to ensure the PPE meets medical standards and it is difficult for us to verify the quality of PPE coming from individuals. Hospitals and medical facilities are concerned about product contaminations of PPE, especially face masks.

We reach out to hospitals, nursing care homes, and various healthcare facilities to find out their needs for PPE. Besides the hospitals with large numbers of COVID-19 patients and facilities having outbreaks, we also look out for long-term care facilities, retirement homes and care homes that are not in the spotlight but in need of PPE.

We contact the hospitals and long-term care facilities to find out their needs for PPE and the specifications before we deliver the supplies that meet their requirements. They will need to provide a letter of acceptance to us before we deliver PPE to them to ensure that what we deliver will be exactly the types of PPE they are in need and will put into good use. We take it very seriously to ensure every dollar raised is optimally yielding the biggest benefit to the Beneficiary Organizations.

The funds raised in this campaign will solely be used for the purchasing of PPE/COVID-19 relief efforts. On the other hand, FLL’s funds for its operation will not be directed to this FLL Overcome COVID-19 Campaign.

Scotiabank kindly supports FLL in this fundraising campaign by allowing us to use the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM) fundraising platform for this purpose. Scotiabank is absorbing all the credit card processing fees for donations made on this fundraising platform so that 100% of the donations can go towards the Overcome COVID-19 campaign. While the platform provided by STWM was originally designed for fundraising through the Marathon, the fund raised through our official link is strictly for the purpose of this FLL Overcome COVID-19 Campaign.