Are you a business or individual with spare Personal Protective Equipment, also known as PPE?   The island’s three major hospitals and many health clinics are asking the public to donate any spare PPE (gloves, masks, gowns, face shields).    Each  hospital has set specific locations to donate.

Kona Community Hospital:  Kona Ambulatory Surgery Center Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.,  75-5905 Walua Road, Suite 4 in Kailua-Kona (below Kuakini Highway , above Ali’i Drive)

Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital:  main entrance, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Hilo Medical Center:  Human Resources Office at the corner of Rainbow Drive and Waianuenue Avenue below the hospital Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m.

 

But to make donating even easier, a local organization founded by Kohala resident Kean Wong (not the Kean Wong who is Kolten Wong’s brother), SupportHawaii.org, has arranged to have drop-off barrels at all 7 Big Island KTA stores, the 3 Big Island HPM Building Supply stores, and the K. Takata Store in Hawi.

Wong notes that many of the public may have N95 masks that they purchased when Kilauea erupted in 2018, or they might own or work at a business that uses masks, gloves, or other PPE, such as painting and construction companies, restaurants and food prep, woodworking, tourism and hospitality, hotels, dentists, nail salons, veterinary clinics, and tattoo parlors.

Wong also needs volunteers to transport the donations to the local hospitals and medical facilities.  The program will run through April 30, unless extended.

More information is available at https://www.supporthawaii.org/

The list of items needed  is available at https://www.supporthawaii.org/ppe-program

To volunteer to help transport materials: https://www.supporthawaii.org/ppe-program

For large donations, or for any questions, the public can email ppe.program@supporthawaii.org

Additionally, Wong is seeking help in printing face shields for the Big Island healthcare workers, and is looking for anyone with access to a 3D printer or laser cutter, or volunteers to help with assembly, sanitization, and transportation. More on that program: https://www.supporthawaii.org/faceshield-program

Photo is workers at North Hawaii Community Hospital in PPE.