Burlington County Freeholders accept Habitat for Humanity donation of 7,000 masks to help with COVID-19 response

MAPLE SHADE – Burlington County is getting some extra help in its coronavirus fight from Habitat for Humanity of Burlington and Mercer Counties.

The Maple Shade-based nonprofit donated 7,000 N95 masks to the Burlington County Office of Emergency Management to use or distribute as part of the County’s pandemic response.

Burlington County Freeholder Dan O’Connell helped collect the donation Thursday morning with Emergency Management Coordinator Darrel Williams and other members of the County’s OEM team.

“Habitat for Humanity does phenomenal work every day to help families obtain secure and safe housing. Donating these masks is another community service they’re performing, and we can’t thank them enough for going above and beyond to help us in our coronavirus response,” O’Connell said. “We all know 2020 has been a year unlike any of us have ever experienced, but it’s actions like this that will help get us through.”

Lori Leonard, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Burlington and Mercer Counties, said the organization was thrilled it could support the County’s COVID-19 response.

“We know that this protective equipment is a necessity and essential and we thought that by donating them to the County they would go to where they’re most needed,” Leonard said.

Since the pandemic’s start, Burlington County has distributed more than 2 million items of personal protective equipment and supplies to first responders, municipalities and long-term care facilities in order to help safeguard essential workers and vulnerable residents.

“We know these masks will be put to good use as we continue to work to ensure our first responders and health care workers are properly supplied, along with those charged with caring for our vulnerable residents in long-term care facilities,” O’Connell said. “We’re grateful to have a partner like Habitat for Humanity help us with this important work.”

Photo: Burlington County Freeholder Dan O’Connell (center right) accepts donation of 7,000 N95 masks from Habitat for Humanity of Burlington and Mercer Counties. He appears here with Burlington County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Darrel Williams (center left) and Lori Leonard, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Burlington and Mercer Counties (right).