Donate Delaware delivers thousands of PPE as requests rise

WILMINGTON – In recent weeks, Donate Delaware has distributed tens of thousands of masks in the last few weeks but is receiving an increasing number of personal protective equipment (PPE) requests from organizations throughout Delaware, officials said.

Richard Piendak (left) and Dave Tiberi (right) present Kent-Sussex Industries VP of Mission Advancement Ann Haggerty with 1,00 face masks during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the fall of 2020. | PHOTO COURTESY OF DONATE DELAWARE

Donate Delaware is a nonprofit organization formed and led by Dave Tiberi, Dr. Robert J. Andrzejewski and Dave Piendak, colleagues who saw a need early in the pandemic to help organizations source and distribute needed PPE. Through collective buying power and centralized distribution, they are able to drive down the costs of supplies like surgical masks, N95 masks, face shields, hand sanitizer and more. Their efforts have helped distributed hundreds of thousands of pieces of PPE over the last two years, with support of corporate partners like Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Adesis, Solvay, United Way of Delaware, Food Bank of Delaware and the Delaware Division of Social Services (DHSS).

In the last week, Donate Delaware delivered over 25,000 disposable adult masks, 500 N95 masks, 10,000 children’s masks, 200 containers of disinfectant wipes, 500 bottles of hand sanitizer, and more to organizations like Canaan Baptist Church, West Side Family Health Center, First State Community Action, United Way of Delaware, and the Capital, Colonial and Red Clay school districts, among others.

“These organizations work with the most vulnerable in our community, including children, the elderly, the disabled and those low-income citizens who have tested positive with the omicron variant. We are also receiving additional requests from schools whose supply of masks and sanitizer are very low,” Donate Delaware reported.

As the state’s number of COVID cases surges to record levels though, Donate Delaware’s supply of PPE is dwindling. It is seeking additional donations and funding to keep up with demand, officials said.

Those who can help are encouraged to contact Tiberi at (302) 690-6946 or dtiberi@erpsafety.com, or Andrzejewski at (302) 528-0098 or robertjandrzejewski@gmail.com.