Donated PPE shipped to Ohio’s Area Agencies on Aging

        Fifty-five pallets of donated hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment (PPE) have been shipped to Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) around the state to protect home and community-based providers and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among older Ohioans, Gov. Mike DeWine announced June 8.
        “Even during these tough times, Ohioans and Ohio companies continue to be generous. We thank all of the businesses who donated these important items,” Gov. DeWine said. “We are making sure these donations are getting into the hands of our older Ohioans and the people who help care for them.”
        “These donations are valued and will be used by our direct care providers,” said Ursel J. McElroy, director of the Ohio Department of Aging. “Through our network, we continue to provide vital services to keep our older Ohioans healthy.”
        The  Ohio Department of Aging led the effort and directed the distribution of the supplies to Ohio’s 12 AAAs. Several businesses provided donations of hand sanitizer and bottling supplies, coordinated by the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance to Fight COVID-19, including Anheuser-Busch, Axium, Cleveland Whiskey, GOJO Industries, Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET), Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction’s Penal Industries, and Proctor & Gamble. AEP Ohio, Anthem, Inc., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US, and Meijer, Inc. donated the masks.
        In addition to the movement of materials and supplies by the Ohio Department of Transportation, R & L Transfer delivered the pallets to the AAAs at a greatly discounted rate.
        Hand sanitizer, in sizes from eight-ounce bottles to one-gallon containers, as well as 13 pallets of non-medical dust masks were shipped to the AAAs.
        The Ohio Department of Aging provides state and federal funding to the AAAs. AAAs are local planners that coordinate local services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities in their communities. AAAs also receive a blend of federal, state, local, and community funds and contributions from other sources. Services and supports coordinated by AAAs include home-delivered meals, transportation, personal assistance, long-term care, and more.
        To learn about available assistance for yourself or a loved one, call the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio at 419-382-0624 or visit areaofficeonaging.com.
         For more information about the Ohio Department of Aging, visit www.aging.ohio.gov. Visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH for more information on Ohio’s response to COVID-19.