Aunt Martha's, state Rep. Hernandez partner to offer free face masks Sept. 17 in Aurora
In an effort to curb the resurgent spread of COVID-19, Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness is partnering with Rep. Barbara Hernandez (83rd District) to distribute thousands of free protective face masks on Thursday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 659 S. River St. in Aurora.
The event will take place in the Hesed House parking lot. DuPage and Kane counties are among the counties indicated to have increased COVID-19 risk by the Illinois Department of Public Health, with positivity rates of 4.4% and 5.5%, respectively.
"Research, and the experience of the people living in the 83rd District, shows that the use of face masks is one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of COVID-19," said Rep. Hernandez.
The masks that will be distributed by Aunt Martha's were made possible by the Palo Alto Networks COVID Relief Fund, which is employee led and company matched 4x. This fund is part of the company's ongoing commitment to support communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
"Palo Alto Network came to Aunt Martha's with a desire to be part of the COVID-19 effort and together we decided that the most valuable use of these funds would be to produce and distribute masks in the communities hit hardest by the pandemic," said Raul Garza, Aunt Martha's president and CEO.
"Wearing face masks is the simplest thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people around us. Aunt Martha's is proud to be part of the effort to make them available to as many people as possible, particularly in communities of color."
Aunt Martha's response to the COVID-19 pandemic has leveraged its resources to protect its front line staff, including health center staff, as well as those providing care in shelter settings, foster homes and responding to the needs of families in crisis. The agency was among the first selected to be part of Illinois' expansion of COVID-19 testing, and one of the earliest to advocate for and bring online an expanded system of telehealth services.
About Aunt Martha's
Aunt Martha's (www.auntmarthas.org) serve over 105,000 children and adults each year with more than 35 sites, including 23 community health centers spread across nine counties. The agency's integrated health home model offers value-based, coordinated services, delivering whole person wellness through the integration of primary and behavioral health care and linkages to additional support services that address social determinants of health. Aunt Martha's has been continuously accredited by The Joint Commission since 1997.