Dogtown Media, Late Sunday Afternoon, and Schusterman Family Foundation Partner to Give Masks to COVID-19 Healthcare Workers

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has wreaked havoc on our world. It’s clear that healthcare workers have enough to contend with at this time. But to make matters worse, many medical facilities are experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE).

We want to help out in any way we can to solve this issue. That’s why we’ve teamed up with apparel company Late Sunday Afternoon and the Schusterman Family Foundation. Together, we’re donating reusable, washable protective masks to hospitals across the United States.

This Crisis Hits Close to Home

Matthew Schildkret, Late Sunday Afternoon’s Founder and CEO, is a dear friend of ours. When Los Angeles was hit with its first few cases of COVID-19, he immediately closed his clothing shop’s doors. Not only was his business considered non-essential, but he didn’t want to risk the health of his employees.

But as the current pandemic crisis unfolded across the US, Matt couldn’t just sit there and watch. Medical facilities are in dire need of help, and a PPE shortage means thousands of healthcare workers and patients are left susceptible to contracting and spreading the coronavirus.

Desperate times call for innovative measures. Aware of his extensive experience as a medical app developer, Matt reached out to Marc Fischer, our Co-Founder and CEO. After discussing the PPE shortage dilemma, they concocted a brilliant plan to help out: Launch a 1-for-1 protective mask donation campaign. Within an hour of commencement, the campaign had received hundreds of orders.

Dealing With the Demand

The sudden demand took Marc and Matt by surprise, but the two quickly leaped into action to deal with it. Matt worked on retooling his clothing company’s equipment and bringing aboard some team members to ramp up production. Marc took on the task of handling the logistics of getting these protective masks into the hands of frontline healthcare workers.

Less than a week later, the campaign had rapidly scaled in scope — thousands of orders are now being placed per day. The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation heard about this endeavor, and they were more than happy to help with a generous micro-grant of $2500!

These funds will be used to send protective masks to many organizations, like Columbia University Medical Center in NYC, Minneapolis-based nonprofit Allina Health, Columbus Colony Elderly Care in Ohio, and other healthcare facilities across the United States.

Together, We’ll Overcome COVID-19

Located in Venice Beach, Late Sunday Afternoon is an apparel company that creates hand-crafted, functional, comfortable clothing. All of its materials are sourced locally, and it uses a zero-waste production process to promote sustainability.

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation is a global organization that works to empower communities and advance equity. It invests in endeavors that help marginalized individuals and improve public education.

We’re extremely honored and humbled to have the opportunity to team up with Late Sunday Afternoon and the Schusterman Family Foundation on this effort. COVID-19 may be keeping everyone physically apart. But we’re all in this together. Want to contribute to Late Sunday Afternoon’s 1-for-1 campaign? Click here!