April 20, 2020, Calgary, Alberta – United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. ("UFA") donated a total of 4,800 N95 masks, 60 cases, to Alberta Health Services this past week. The donation comes at a time when frontline essential healthcare service workers are in need of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like the N95 masks.
Glenn Bingley, Chief Operating Officer for UFA says the decision to donate the masks was an easy one. "We are committed to doing all we can to support the fight against COVID-19. As soon as we learned that we had a supply of masks, we knew that it was the right decision to donate them where they are needed most," said Bingley. "As an agricultural co-operative, we do fall under the essential service criteria; however, nothing is more essential then keeping healthcare workers safe as they care for our most vulnerable people."
"AHS is extremely grateful to UFA for their generous donation, which will help ensure our frontline healthcare workers continue to have the personal protective equipment they need to support and care for Albertans," said Jitendra Prasad, Chief Program Officer, AHS Contracting, Procurement and Supply Management.
"UFA was created for farmers, by farmers," said Scott Bolton, President & CEO, UFA. "Co-operatives exist under the principle that we can accomplish more together, than alone. Never has this been more significant than during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Although many of us are physically alone, our communities are coming together in an historical way that demonstrates the power of co-operation," said Bolton. "I am very proud to be part of a co-operative that puts the needs of the collective, before the needs of the individual."
