The coronavirus pandemic is far from over, especially in the United States where there are still close to 2.5 million active cases at the moment. And Ford appears to understand the griavity of the situation as it continues to donate medical masks to various groups in need.
In an announcement by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the automaker was revealed to have donated 1.5 million masks to the state as part of the MI Mask Aid program, a statewide campaign that aims to give 4 million masks to low-income residents, seniors, and schools.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to Whitmer, is tasked to assist with mask distribution.
The state of Michigan has tallied 90,392 COVID-19 cases resulting in 6,289 deaths, Detroit News said.
Ford CEO Jim Hackett also spoke at a press conference, saying the company has managed to produce over 72 million pieces of “lifesaving support” since the coronavirus crisis spread in the U.S. The number does not include the 1.5 million masks recently donated to MI MAsk Aid.
Ford started mass-producing face masks earlier this year by converting some of its production plants to make the masks. It now has the capacity to produce 1.5 million masks a week.
In a statement issued to online publication Car and Driver, Ford said that from the total number of masks it has produced, 54 million have so far been allocated for the use of employees.
“We were able to make this donation because we have a surplus of masks from continued production to cover our workforce,” a Ford spokesperson said.
If the automaker continues to produce more face masks than needed for employees, it could be able to donate to other states as well.
“We recognize there are many at-risk communities that have a growing need for PPE, such as masks. We’re connecting with our local and national nonprofit partners to determine the best way to address the problem,” the spokesperson added.
Aside from the mask donation, Ford also announced it was able to raise $1 million through its employee donation match program. The money pooled through the program will be used to support COVID-19 related relief efforts in countries such as Brazil, India, and South Africa, as well as various nonprofit agencies.
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