Pandemic at our doorsteps: a note of gratitude and solidarity
Now is the time for those who are able to help to come forward with compassion, guts and action. If you have already done so, we give you our most sincere thanks.
In spring 2020, we have witnessed a worldwide spread of COVID‐19. On April 12, the United States reached over 500,000 COVID‐19 cases, the most of any country. As the number of patients and deaths continued to rise, many U.S. hospitals were struggling with shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE). Not only did the frontline healthcare workers need protection, but so did the police, firefighters, and other city employees. No one was safe, for the pandemic was at our doorstep.
Houston Tsinghua Alumni Association (HTAA) has coordinated PPE donations to U.S. hospitals and the City of Houston since March 19, receiving more than 200 monetary and in‐kind donations from alumni, friends and families in China and overseas. The support and generosity from the Chinese community are heartwarming and deeply appreciated.
To date, we have raised $47,917 in U.S. dollars plus ¥81,850 in Chinese Yuan. In‐kind donations include 4,650 surgical masks
20 3M medical grade N95 masks
230 3M standard N95 masks
100 non‐3M brand N95 masks
200 KN95 masks
25 DuPont protective gowns
One pair of protective medical goggles
Another 50,000 surgical masks donated by Dongguan Lingying Precision Manufacturing and Technology Company are also on the way to Houston.
HTAA has donated 16,000 surgical masks, 2,400 KN95 masks, and 200 face shields to local governments. Donations to hospitals and clinics so far have included 11,800 KN95 masks and 1,540 medical grade N95 masks. More than 3,000 KN95 masks have been donated directly to individual healthcare workers and first responders.
At a media conference covered by ABC13 News April 4, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner expressed gratitude to State Rep. Gene Wu and HTAA for the donations of PPEs: https://abc13.com/health/positive‐covid‐19‐cases‐in‐city‐of‐houston‐surpasses‐250/6060913/
HTAA has dedicated approximately 10,000 KN95 masks for direct donation to individual healthcare workers and first responders. With a valid work ID, applicants can each request a package of 20 masks while supplies last. Applicants are asked to send a photo of their ID, along with a signed liability waiver and receipt to .
After the required documents are received, HTAA will respond with a pickup number and a distribution site location. Work IDs will be verified at the time of mask pickup. At the pickup location, everyone should wear a mask and keep social distance, which, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advice, is six feet or two meters.
The request form for masks can be found here: https://forms.gle/KFSzECryMXSL4LKv8
With help from our friends Jiali Zhang and Cedar Wang, we were able to find distribution sites for donated supplies. We thank our previous partner Houston Dragon Academy for assistance in this effort and our gratitude goes out to these volunteers at the current locations:
1. Chinatown: Allwin Insurance Agency, Mr. Deqing Yang, Address: 6901 Corporate Dr. 218, Houston,TX 77036Hours: Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
2. Sugar Land: Dr. Bao, Eagle Eye Center, Address: 1730 Williams Trace Blvd., Suite J, Sugar Land,TX 77479 Hours: Monday - Friday 3pm - 5pm
3. Katy: (1) Mr. Shao, Kane Oriental Acupuncture & Herb Clinic, Address: 633 E Fernhurst Dr. Ste 902, Katy TX 77450Hours: Monday - Friday 3pm - 5pm
Hours: Monday - Friday 3pm - 5 pm
4. Texas Medical Center: Pepper Twins, Ms. Yunan Yang, Address: 5161 San Felipe St., Houston, TX 77056Hours: Monday - Saturday 3pm - 6pm
Thank you all, for your compassion, caring, and camaraderie in this time of COVID‐19. We are all in this battle together and we shall prevail.
Donations to Local Governments
Donations to Healthcare Institutions
Snapshots of HTAA Donations Since March 19, 2020
On March 29, HTAA donated a total of 1,000 KN95 masks, 4,000 surgical masks, and 200 face shields to the City of Houston and Harris County, and an additional 500 KN95 masks to the Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center. State Representative Gene Wu, Houston Public Safety Director George T. Buenik, and deputy coordinator of the Harris County Office of Emergency Management, Francisco Sanchez in a joint statement expressed thanks to HTAA for the donations.
HTAA donated 2,000 medical masks to the Houston Independent School District on March 30, per Rep. Gene Wu’s request. The donation will help protect staff at food distribution sites.
Donation to Harris County Sherif’s Office: 2000 surgical masks.
Donation to Houston Police Officers’ Union: 2,000 surgical masks and 500 KN95 masks.
Facebook posthttps://mobile.twitter.com/JoeGamaldi/status/1248670115899596803?from=groupmessage Donation to Houston Fire Department: 2,000 surgical masks and 500 KN95 masks.https://mobile.twitter.com/HoustonFire/status/1248726631251939333?s=20&from=groupmessage
Donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center: 100 3M standard N95 masks, 500 KN95 masks, and 20 face shields.
Donation to Memorial Hermann Pearland: 500 KN95 masks.
Donation to Baylor St. Luke Medical Center: 385 Kimberly‐Clark medical grade N95 and 500 KN95 masks.
Donation to TCG clinic, LLC dba Reach Healthcare Services: 200 KN95 masks.
Donation to HCA Houston Healthcare West: 1,000 KN95 masks.
Donation to Kelsey Seybold Clinics: 1,000 KN95 masks and 20 face shields.
Donation to Cleveland Healthcare center: 400 KN95 masks.
Donation to Memorial Hermann Prevention and Recovery Center: 400 KN95 masks.
Donation to Memorial Hermann Katy ICU Department: 385 Kimberly‐Clark medical grade N95 masks.
Donation to Richmond State Supported Living Center: 200 KN95 masks.
Donation to Fort Bend Medical Society: 500 KN95 masks.
Donation to Jefferson County Emergency Management: 400 KN95 masks.
Donation to St Joseph Medical Center ER: 1,000 KN95 masks.
Donation to HCA Clearlake: 385 Kimberly‐Clark medical grade N95 and 500 KN95 masks.
Donation to Mid‐County Anethesia PLLC: 200 KN95 masks.
Donation to Windsor Quail Valley Post‐Acute HealthCare Center: 200 KN95 masks.
Donation to Michael E. DeBakey VAMC ER: 500 KN95 masks.
Donation to Harris Health System Same Day Clinics: 500 N95 masks and 20 face shields.
Donation to Houston Methodist Hospital: 385 Kimberly‐Clark medical grade N95 masks.
By April 12 more than 3,000 KN95 masks picked up by individual healthcare workers and first responders.
We express our most sincere gratitude to all the alumni, friends and families for their generous donations.
HTAA volunteers:
President: Mr. Deqing Yang
Vice President: Ms. Sylvia Qiaosha He, Mr. Dong Wang
Procurement: Mr. Hongbo Ma, Ms. Xiaowei Zou
Donation coordinator: Mr. Jin Wang
Treasurer: Ms. Sylvia Qiaosha He, Mr. Hao Chen
Communications: Ms. Yujing Du, Ms. Tingting Lu, Ms. Xiudong Lei
Distribution: Mr. Wenjun Zeng, Mr. Hao Chen, Mr. Dong Wang, Mr. Xiaobo Huang, Mr. Guang Li
Hospital coordinator: Mr. Guang Li, Ms. Xiaowei Zou
In addition, we thank the following volunteers for delivering PPE to hospitals: Ms. Jinan Ni, Ms. Xiaomin Shi, Ms. Yunyun Chen, and Ms. Yu Cang.
About Us:
Houston Tsinghua Alumni Association (HTAA) is a non-profit organization run by the Tsinghua University alumni working or studying in the Greater Houston Area. Members of HTAA are the volunteers behind this effort. As a part of the Greater Houston community, we aim to share the responsibility of supporting our healthcare professionals and ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
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