AT&T Contributes Nearly $1 Million in PPE to The Salvation Army for Frontline Workers
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (January 29, 2021) The Salvation Army and AT&T have collaborated to do good for years, and especially in times of disaster and increased need. Most recently, AT&T has contributed nearly $1 million in personal protective equipment (PPE) to The Salvation Army in support of the organization’s frontline workers around the country who are responding to increased public need with feeding, sheltering and emotional and spiritual care.
The donation of PPE items—disinfectant, sanitizer, cloth face masks, paper towels, gloves and dry wipes—comes at a critical point of the COVID-19 pandemic, as experts have anticipated a ‘dark winter’ of increased infection rates and additional shutdowns of industries.
“The Salvation Army has witnessed a tsunami of need due to the pandemic in 2020,” said Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder, National Commander of The Salvation Army. “AT&T’s donation will empower us to provide safe distributions of food, shelter, case management and more.”
Before the pandemic, one-in-six Americans were living in poverty and more than 70% were living paycheck to paycheck. Then a study by Columbia University in October estimated that an additional eight million Americans slid into poverty due to the pandemic. As we venture into a new year, research by the Aspen Institute, estimates 30-40 million people could be at risk of eviction.
The Salvation Army has witnessed the increased need through a lens of response, with more than 150 million meals, an additional 1.6 million nights of shelter, and emotional and spiritual care to 865,000 individuals to those reeling from the health and economic effects of COVID-19.
Each PPE item donated by AT&T will support the continued response efforts of The Salvation Army, as frontline workers can both wear the PPE needed to meet clients and provide assistance, and even provide PPE items to members of the public who need them.
AT&T’s support of COVID-19 response includes a contribution of $5.5 million to response organizations, like The Salvation Army, and AT&T continues to provide support to The Salvation Army’s holiday assistance programs through an online partnership.
You can read more about how The Salvation Army is serving those affected by COVID-19 at www.salvationarmyusa.org/covid19
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.