Seven Hills coordinates purchase of 350K masks for 126 nonprofits

Photo: Courtesy (From left) Rep. Joseph McKenna, Seven Hills CEO/EVP Kathleen Jordan, Seven Hills Director of Facilities Mike Kendrick, Seven Hills VP of Government and Community Relations Bill Stock

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By Monica Benevides

When a search for protective N95 masks led Seven Hills Foundation to connect with an American-incorporated company with factories in Shanghai, the Worcester nonprofit was surprised to learn, in order to purchase the masks directly, it needed to order at least 50,000.

The figure far exceeded its own need, the company said in a Monday press release. In search of a solution, leadership turned to peer organizations, to see what could be done.

Kathleen Jordan, executive vice president & CEO of Seven Hills Foundation, launched an outreach program to find others within the nonprofit community needing N95 masks. In total, 126 organizations joined the collaboration, coming together to purchase the masks with individual orders ranging from 50 to 50,000.

“Although it was a lot of work these past few weeks to organize, package and distribute the 350,000 masks,” said Jordan in the press release, “Seven Hills Foundation was happy to be able to do it because we know so many of our fellow organizations desperately needed these masks to protect their staff and the individuals they support."

The masks were ultimately shipped from China through JFK International Airport in New York, and then delivered to Seven Hills Foundation on Saturday. The 5,500 pound order was sorted and set for distribution on Monday.

"It the midst of this public health crisis, it is imperative that we all work together and we are happy to help lead that effort," Jordan said.