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State sets up ‘resilience hubs’ to distribute personal protective equipment to key Hawaii essential workers

The state has set up “resilience hubs” to distribute donations of personal protective equipment to behavioral health and homeless service providers.

The PPE will go to essential workers at the Hawaii State Hospital and Temporary Quarantine and Isolation Center on Oahu and other groups that provide mental health services, the Department of Health’s Behavioral Health and Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group announced today. It has distributed more than 12,000 surgical masks, and other protective gear, to one of three drop-off and distribution sites established on Oahu.

“We’d like to thank the community for their generous spirit and outpouring of aloha. The donations allow our providers to safely ensure a continuity of care while keeping our staff and clients protected,” Eddie Mersereau, DOH deputy director of behavioral health, said in a news release.

The state has partnered with the Hawaii Public Health Institute to establish resilience hubs on the neighbor islands and is requesting donations of homemade or unopened masks, goggles, gloves and face shields, as well as sanitation supplies including bleach, disinfecting wipes, paper towels and toilet paper. Thousands more PPE are needed statewide, the DOH said.

As of today, the resilience hubs have received 12,153 surgical masks; 8,735 pairs of disposable gloves; 7,069 N95 masks; 288 homemade masks; 590 medical gowns; 204 homemade or locally manufactured face shields; and 315 pairs of eyewear or goggles.

Donations may be dropped off at three nonprofits on Oahu:

>> KROC Center in Kapolei: 91-3257 Kualakai Prkwy. in Ewa Beach

Drop-off hours: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., or by appointment; call 682-5505

>> KEY Project: 47-200 Waihee Rd. in Kaneohe

Drop-off hours: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., or by appointment; call 239-5777

>> Kalihi YMCA: 1335 Kalihi St. in Honolulu

Drop-off hours: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., or by appointment; call 848-2494

Behavioral health and homeless service providers can submit requests for PPE at health.hawaii.gov/bhhsurg/.

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