Mavericks Making a Difference: Mercy College Donates PPE to White Plains Hospital Frontline Health Care Workers

Women in PPE at White Plains Hospital

In an effort to help alleviate the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) at local hospitals, Mercy College organized a donation of goggles and face shields to White Plains Hospital (WPH).

The donation was spearheaded by Mercy College veterinary technology student Ally Gelderman ’21 and coordinated by Mercy Associate Dean of Nursing Deborah Hunt. Gelderman remembered the goggles on the bookstore shelves: “I figured the goggles could be put to good use for our nurses fighting on the front lines.”

WPH is an esteemed clinical partner of Mercy College, as mentioned by Hunt. “We’re grateful for the ability to donate needed goggles to one of our area hospitals. Mercy graduates do clinicals at WPH and go on successful careers at the location.”

Mercy College’s bookstore, managed by Follett, has donated a supply of goggles to WPH to provide health care professionals with PPE as they continue to treat coronavirus (COVID-19) patients. The goggles will be used by health care workers to protect against harmful bacteria and infection as they work long hours on the front lines of the pandemic.

In addition to the goggle donation, Mercy College vendor, 71 Visuals, contributed 500 face shields to WPH on behalf of the New York Ski Council. 71 Visuals typically produces marketing signs and displays for Mercy College. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company transformed their production facility to fabricate face shields to help assist the current PPE shortage and keep their team working.

Leigh Anne McMahon, senior vice president for patient care services and the chief nursing officer of WPH, appreciates Mercy College’s relationship with the hospital and their shared initiatives: “We thank Mercy College and 71 Visuals for the generous PPE donation. Mercy College is a long-standing, valued partner of the hospital and has supported our staff for years. In this time of great need, it is no surprise that Mercy has stepped up to the plate to aid our health care workers.”

Watch a video of the donation.

Mercy is a strong community and by working together we will make our community even stronger. If you are a Maverick making a difference, or you know of one, let us know at PR@mercy.edu.

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