Members of the New Orleans City Council, in conjunction with community organizations are coming together to get 11,500 face masks in the hands of New Orleanians in give-away events that will take place Saturday throughout the city and on both the east and west banks of Orleans Parish.
On Saturday, May 30, various organizations and community partners, along with At-large City Councilwoman Helena Morena to distribute 10,000 face coverings to residents citywide. This event was previously scheduled for Friday but was postponed until Saturday.
Another free mask distribution will take place from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday, May 30, at the Jugs Krewe of NOMTOC Clubhouse, 1905 Newton St. NOMTOC has partnered with District C Councilwoman Kristen Palmer for this event.
Efforts to ensure that residents are equipped with face coverings is important to fighting the spread of COVID-19, Moreno says.
“We’ve made great progress against this pandemic, which has allowed our city to slowly open up,” she says said. “But to sustain that progress, everyone must do their part to keep each other safe and healthy. As the CDC notes, masks and social distancing are the strongest tools available to all of us to keep our positive momentum going.”
On Friday, May 29, masks will be distributed from 10 a.m. until noon in six locations across the city, including:
- Sanchez Multi-Service Center 1616 Caffin Ave.
- Treme Recreation Community Center 900 N. Villere St.
- Ochsner Algiers Urgent Care – 3401 Behrman Pl. in Algiers
- The City Of Love, 8601 Palmetto St.
- Goodwill Industries 3400 Tulane Ave., #1000
- Junior League Headquarters, 4319 Carondelet St.
- Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel, 5600 Read Blvd.
Partners in Friday’s city-wide mask give-away include Independent Women’s Organization (IWO), Emerge Louisiana, Junior League of New Orleans, CitizenShe, Les Femmes PAC, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Alpha Beta Omega Chapter), Women on the Move, Concerned Citizens for a Better Algiers and Greater St. Stephen’s Women of Excellence.
On Saturday, May 30, NOMTOC members will distribute 1,500 free masks to citizens who drive-up or walk-up to their clubhouse. There will be a minimum of two masks given to each individual.
“There’s a high demand for masks in the most vulnerable communities in Algiers, and we want to provide easy access to those individuals,” said Palmer. “The mask and face covering giveaways we are hosting in Algiers and across the city are a continued effort to assist citizens with limited means to obtain or purchase a protective face mask. Face coverings are not simply about protecting the person wearing it – they are about protecting others in the community, and we all must do our part.”
Masks for the Algiers give-away were donated to SewDat NOLA, a City initiative that created a centralized website where citizens can purchase, request, or donate face coverings to essential workers, seniors or transit riders. Since launching six weeks ago, SewDat has provided more than 15,000 face coverings to residents and essential workers.
Seniors, homebound residents and families severely impacted by COVID-19 are encouraged to request free face coverings through SewDat.com.
