Medline to distribute 50,000 reusable facemasks and hand sanitizer in Lake County, Illinois

COVID-19’s relentless march across the United States has left many of our most vulnerable communities devastated as underserved populations are left without critical protective equipment and inadequate access to resources. With 11,602 cases, Lake County, Illinois is one of many communities that is working to get much-needed resources to populations in need. One of the challenges the county faces is the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority communities.

To put this into perspective, members of the LatinX community in Lake County account for 44% of all cases while making up just 22% of its population, an infection rate that is nearly nine times that of the county’s white residents. The county’s Black population also faces a disproportionate impact from COVID-19, with a positivity rate four times that of white residents.

Deeply concerned about the welfare and health of its neighbors, Medline will be distributing 50,000 reusable facemasks and hand sanitizer during a drive-through event at the company’s distribution center located at 3926 Burwood Drive on Saturday, August 1st from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. As one of the world’s largest private manufacturers and distributors of personal protective equipment (PPE), Medline launched its Wash-and-Wear Community Mask Project in June, distributing 100,000 reusable facemasks throughout Chicago to assist underserved communities in meeting the challenges posed by COVID-19. Medline is the largest private employer in Waukegan and among the largest companies in Lake County.

“Medline has deep roots in Lake County’s communities and we are deeply concerned about the impact COVID-19 has had on underserved communities,” says Andy Mills, president of Medline. “More than 2,000 of our employees live and work in Lake County and our roots have grown over the many decades we have operated in the community. We are committed to working with our partners in the community to help protect the underserved and to stem the tide of this pandemic.”

The August 1, 2020 event will be held in partnership with the City of Waukegan, Waukegan Township, Lake County Board Member Angelo Kyle, the offices of State Representatives Daniel Didech and Rita Mayfield, and State Senator Terry Link.

For more information on how Medline is giving back to communities where its employees live and work, visit www.medline.com/pages/about-us/social-responsibility/.