Coachella business owners pick-up free PPE; other valley cities plan similar giveaways

Business owners of the city of Coachella stopped by to pick up free personal protective equipment donated as part of the "Million Mask Giveaway" organized by the nonprofit Coachella Valley Economic Partnership.

The drive-up pick-up started Tuesday morning at the Coachella Corporate Yard on Enterprise Way.

"We know times are difficult right now and we're doing all we can to help them out during this difficult time and protect their employees so they can still provide services to the community," Gabriel Martin, director of the non profit.

The non-profit donated 1.4 million face masks, 40,000 face shields and 96,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, totaling about $1 million worth of supplies, which were handed out to local municipalities to help businesses stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Other cities to announce distribution details include Palm Springs,
Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, which both opted to partner with each city's respective chamber of commerce to handle the distribution.

• The Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce has been handing out supplies
  since Wednesday at the chamber office, 190 W. Amado Road. Business owners can pick up their supplies Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • PPE can also be picked up at Crystal Fantasy, 268 N. Palm Canyon Drive.

• Rancho Mirage business owners, meanwhile, must wait until Dec. 28,
  when the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce plans to begin doling out supplies by appointment only from its offices at 71905 Highway 111, Suite H.

• Palm Desert organized a city-run event Monday where supplies were
  handed out.

• Other Coachella Valley cites have not yet announced distribution plans.

The PPE was previously handed out to the Coachella Valley's nine incorporated cities based on the number and type of businesses in each city.

Officials from Twentynine Palms, near Joshua Tree National Park in San Bernardino County, were also invited to pick up supplies, organizers said.

The next phase of the giveaway will focus on providing PPE to health care workers and farm workers, although details on how those donations will be handled were not provided.

Distribution details can be found at https://cvep.com/millionmaskgiveaway.