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BMO employees donate N95 masks to Chicago hospitals

April 8, 2020 | COVID response, Culture

Over the past several weeks, BMO employees across the bank have been providing incredible support for our customers, communities and fellow employees who have been affected by COVID-19 – as well as all those on the frontlines working hard to keep us safe.

During this time of uncertainty, our employees have gone above and beyond to continue to Grow the Good. Here’s one of their stories.

Helle’n White-Jenkins, Retail Relationship Banker at BMO’s Frankfort Lincoln Highway Branch in Chicago, recently called her sister, a nurse who’s currently working on the frontline fighting COVID-19, and discovered how desperately her hospital needs N95 masks, gloves and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies to continue saving lives.

That conversation made Helle’n recall seeing masks in the storage area of her BMO branch. The next time she went to work, she found a case of N95 masks in the storage area. Helle’n then notified Tracy Nelson, Market President, who took it to Bernard Narine, Head, Retail Chicago South. He asked other branches to check their storage areas for unused supplies, and they found another case.

After connecting with Mike Wallace, Director of U.S. Business Continuity, the team learned that the masks were surplus left over from decommissioned supply kits from past pandemic preparedness.  In total, approximately 23,000 N95 masks were found – and available to donate to local healthcare workers who desperately need them.

Engaging with Community Giving, Public Relations and Government Affairs, the BMO teams reached out to Chicago Mayor Lightfoot’s office to get their recommendation on where and how to donate the masks, ensuring they arrived into the hands of those who needed them most. Within a matter of days, the masks were delivered to local hospitals and first responders.

Stay up-to-date on BMO’s response to the crisis by visiting our COVID-19 customer portal.

 

 

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