Norwalk given 11,000 surgical masks

NORWALK, Conn. – Norwalk Police will be able to hand out masks to citizens thanks to a donation from Grace Farms, Mayor Harry Rilling said.

Rod Khattabi, Chief Accountability Officer & Justice Initiative Director with Grace Farms, presented Norwalk with 11,000 surgical masks Friday at City Hall. They were loaded into police vehicles by Community Police Officers Delgado, Holms, Salley, and Abruzzini, a press release said. Norwalk Police will be distributing masks to those in need as they patrol the city to enforce local and state regulations.

Video by Harold Cobin at end of story

“This is the beginning of Memorial Day weekend and we need to think about those people who served and sacrificed for our country,” Khattabi said, noting that the timing of the donation would “make people think that we need to help each other and keep each other safe.”

“Norwalk has distributed 150,000 masks to the most vulnerable communities,” Rilling said. This latest donation from Grace Farms will allow police officers and ambassadors to offer masks to people who aren’t wearing them.

The foundation recently donated 6,000 masks to City Hall so employees will be safe when they return.

The press release said:

“Following the event at City Hall, Grace Farms donated 2,600 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Notre Dame Health and Rehabilitation in Norwalk. Including today’s donations, Grace Farms Foundation has donated and delivered nearly 130,000 pieces of PPE to the City of Norwalk, Norwalk Hospital, assisted living and other facilities in the city. In total, Grace Farms Foundation has donated more than 1.2 million pieces of PPE to health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The City of Norwalk continues to be proactive in procuring and distributing PPE to those with the most critical need. The City has purchased PPE, and received supplies from Grace Farms, the State, and the National Stock Pile. To date, more than 150,000 pieces of PPE have been distributed by the City of Norwalk, with pieces donated to the Norwalk Hospital, nonprofits, first responders, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and small businesses.”