As Oklahoma City reopens for business amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonprofits are struggling to find the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to safely serve their clients. Thanks to the United Way of Central Oklahoma’s COVID-19 Response Fund and its partner agency NewView Oklahoma, all 73 United Way partner agencies in central Oklahoma, Canadian and Logan counties have access to the PPE they need, including gloves, masks, sanitizer, infrared thermometers and more.

United Way of Central Oklahoma president and CEO Debby Hampton said she first realized the dire need for PPE after visiting a United Way partner agency that was distributing food and other resources in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. After learning the organization was running out of masks and gloves and unable to find large quantities of the supplies, she found herself in the parking lot, calling anyone who might have access to PPE.

“The lack of access to adequate PPE is just one more challenge for our nonprofits while providing critical services to record numbers of clients,” Hampton said. “I knew United Way had to help.”

Thankfully, United Way agency NewView Oklahoma was already providing PPE to state and federal agencies and first responders, and had begun supplying new PPE products amidst the pandemic through its employment program for individuals who are blind and visually impaired.

Through the partnership, United Way of Central Oklahoma is funding $83,000 of PPE through its COVID-19 Response Fund for partner agencies that have requested the supplies. Beginning June 9, New View offered curbside pickup of PPE orders at their manufacturing facility for United Way partner agencies.

“We’re uniquely set up to adapt to this crisis,” said Lauren Branch, NewView president and CEO. “We are honored to partner with United Way to provide PPE to fellow agencies. This is what being a United Way partner agency is really about.”