Los Angeles–A grassroots organization consisting of Chinese American community leaders, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and retired seniors recently donated a batch of essential supplies to medical professionals and local law enforcement to help fight COVID-19.
“Our nation is stronger when we are united,” said Hong Li, an attorney at law in Southern California, who organized the donations on behalf of the Beijing Association USA.
Li recently noticed that there was a shortage of face masks for the local police officers. After she witnessed these officers were reusing the masks so many times that the elastic was no longer supporting the masks on their face, Li wanted to step up and do something to help.
She immediately donated 160 N95 respirators she purchased online for her own family’s use and protection.
Over three days, Li worked tirelessly to call her friends, family, and business associates to ask them if they could help donate supplies such as N95 respirators, face masks, gloves, and sanitizer.
Several senior members of Beijing Association USA, Ms. Helen Xia, Mr. Eric Li, and Ms. Jia Wang, helped with organizing the grassroots donations. They used Xia’s office located in the City of Diamond Bar as a drop off place for face masks and other donations.
All these volunteers are hardworking Chinese Americans, who are either naturalized American citizens or have lived in the United States for over twenty years. They are part of the American society while maintaining their Chinese cultural heritage.
With the stock market going into a slump, the stay-at-home order in place and numerous businesses closing down in response to COVID-19, many people could not afford the financial burden of a monetary donation. However, they still wanted to offer their help in anyway they could. Every donation counted, whether it was ten N95 respirators or two bottles of hand sanitizer.
No one had a lot of supplies since many things have become difficult to purchase in stores. Within three days, these Chinese Americans donated what they purchased for their personal use with their own money at higher prices.
These group of people chose kindness instead of fear. They felt a responsibility to help this country and to help people in need. By March 31, they have donated 3,300 faces masks, 5,500 gloves, five packages of disinfectant, and various other supplies to the City of Industry Sheriff’s Station.
Li and her teammates expressed their appreciation for all the contributors, and would like to tell everyone, “Please wear a non-medical face covering while in public. Wearing a mask will help stem the virus spread. Stay at Home and Stay Safe! We Are Stronger When We Are United!”
(Above contents and images were provided by Beijing Association USA)
