NYU Freshman Helps Drive Personal Protective Equipment to New York Hospital

NEW YORK and OAK PARK, Calif., March 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Danielle Gould, freshman film and television major at New York University, has created a national drive for donated personal protection equipment for Belleview Hospital Center in Manhattan, New York, and for other hospitals around the country. 

"I love my new school and New York City and wanted to do something to help everyone in New York while forced back home in California," stated Gould. "I have been emailing magazine editors, posting on social media and contacting industry associations that have broad access to readers and members where personal protective equipment (PPE) might be hiding." The strategy has been to approach industries that might have PPE but also might have not been contacted yet. This included industries like automotive repair, plastics, rail, aviation, chemical, cosmetics, textiles, day spas, dairy and waste management.

In just a few days, over 100 organizations and publications have responded, emailed their members and subscribers, posted articles to their websites and social media accounts and reached over five million non-medical-industry PPE users of every size. The hope is this will free up more available donated PPE for Bellevue Hospital Center and other hospitals around the country.     

"As I was becoming increasingly anxious for the safety of my colleagues at the hospital, I was contacted by Danielle's dad, who saw me on CNN and emailed me about sending 20 new N95 masks he had in his garage," says Celine Gounder, MD, ScM, FIDSA, an infectious diseases specialist and epidemiologist at Bellevue Hospital Center, Clinical Assistant Professor at the New York University School of Medicine and CNN Medical Analyst. "I jumped at the chance and received them the next day. Then his daughter Danielle said she wanted to help, too. As we all know, New York State and the NYC metro area are ground zero for the American COVID-19 epidemic. Healthcare providers are facing a critical shortage of personal protective equipment, especially N95 respirator masks, but also gowns and face shields. We need the community to help us where others have failed. This type of help has been extremely valuable to our hospital and others around the country."

"I will share your request on multiple pro painter FB groups." — Amanda R. Haar, Managing Editor, inPAINT Magazine

"We will send to our subscribers. Lots of these companies do have PPE." — Tony Deligio, Senior Editor, Plastics Technology

"We passed the following message along to our members. I've also shared it with our State Affiliate Association in New York." — Aaron Schulenburg, Executive Director, Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS)

"We posted across our accounts your requests on all of our social accounts." — Deborah Carver, President/CEO Creative Age Publications, DaySpa

"We will tweet it out today." — Scott Jenkins, Senior Editor, Chemical Engineering

"I'll share it through our social media feeds. God bless." — Enrique Perrella, Publisher & Editor in Chief, Airways

"I have posted your request on our MSW Management website and on our Grading Excavation Contractor website. I have also asked if we could post the message on all our other magazines." — Arturo Santiago, Chief Editor, Solid Waste Association of North America

"This request has been added to our resource page for dental hygienists under Donation and Volunteer Assistance Requests." — Jean Biazar, ADHA Managing Editor, Access

"I've posted the information on our bulletin board." — George Bullis, The Home Shop Machinist

"If you want to get involved in your own community, call your local car dealerships, auto repair and brake shops, tattoo parlors, day spas and nail salons and remind them their extra PPE can save a life. Ask them to donate to their local hospitals," added Gould.

This week, Gould will be focused on alternatives to medical gowns by talking to sports teams, sports stores and amusement parks about donating plastic ponchos and rain gear. Gould expanded her team, which now includes her friends Chris Grupp, Erikka Glubranson, Tim Jensen, Axel Jensen and Sean Crowley.

Danielle Gould is a first-year at NYU studying film and television and is now back home in California for the rest of her semester. Gould was the 2019 Oak Park High School Student of the Year and Student Body President. She now serves as Treasurer for the Tisch Undergraduate Student Council.

Celine Gounder is an American medical doctor and medical journalist who specializes in infectious disease and global health. She was educated at Princeton University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and University of Washington School of Medicine. As of 2018, Gounder practices medicine part-time while addressing her long-time concerns with health issues as a medical journalist. In 2017, because of her contributions to medicine and public health, Gounder was named one of People Magazine's 25 Women Changing the World.  

Contact:              
Lisa Park, Public Relations 
[email protected]

Related Images

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Urgent Need for N95 Masks and Other Protective Equipment
N95 masks are rated to protect health care workers from the COVID-19 virus.

SOURCE Danielle Gould