Accepted items include face masks, gloves, gowns, goggles, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol and thermometers.
“Time and again, we have proven that we are stronger together,” said Twila Carter, executive director of The Astros Foundation. “Your Astros stand with the city in all seasons. In times of blessing and in times of stress.”
The Astros Foundation and Project C.U.R.E, a national nonprofit focused on medical supply donations, are running the drive, which will allow donors to drop items without getting out of their cars. The drive accepts full, closed boxes only.
“As long as they are in sealed, complete boxes, we will accept them,” Carter said. “If people have individual items, we can look into that, but not this Wednesday.”
Carter said the foundation is looking to manufacturers, industrial companies, other businesses and even hobbyists that may have appropriate supplies.
For those who want to contribute but do not have supplies, The Astros Foundation is accepting monetary donations, and Houston-based natural gas company Cheniere Energy is providing a matching donation for the first $50,000 collected.
Mayor Sylvester Turner said for a city of Houston’s size, a supply of 1 million N95 masks would be a sufficient stockpile. As an example, he said the fire department uses up to 10,000 pieces of protective equipment per day responding to calls.
For now, Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña said the department has adequate supplies to maintain daily operations.
The effort comes on the heels of other donation efforts as the city struggles to maintain supplies from the federal and state government and by buying them on the private market.
