Chicago’s Sister City Shanghai Donates Over 20 Thousand Masks to Help Four Chicago Hospitals

Representatives from Chicago Sister Cities International greeted a shipment of donated masks this week. Shanghai, a sister city since 1985, donated 21,200 N95 and KN95 masks to Chicago. Chicago Sister Cities International delivered the donated masks to four area hospital systems.

2020 marks the 35^th anniversary of Shanghai and Chicago uniting as sister cities and the partnership remains one of collaboration and community. “Our sister city relationship with Shanghai is one I am proud to locally lead,” said Feng Xue, Co-Chair of the China Committee of CSCI. “With more than three decades of friendship between our two resilient cities we have all benefited from this economic and cultural connection. Together, we will fight this virus and return stronger than ever.”

The masks were donated to Advocate Aurora Health, Loyola Medicine, Northwestern Medicine and University of Chicago Medicine, with each hospital receiving 11 cartons total; 10 cartons containing 5000 of the KN95 masks, and 1 carton containing 300 of the N95 masks.

“It makes me incredibly proud to know that when our community faced a health crisis, our team members selflessly answered the call. And when those team members needed extra support, our community did everything they could to stand with them,” said Randy Varju, President of Advocate Aurora Health Foundations. “We are especially thankful for the recent donation of over 5,000 masks from World Business Chicago to keep our front line team members safe during this unprecedented time.”

The American Medical Association recommends anyone who has PPE to contact their local hospital or health department “to ensure these resources are appropriate and can be distributed based on need,” AMA President Dr. Patrice Harris said in a statement.  You can also visit GetUsPPE.org for instructions submitted by health-care workers themselves, which include specifications for items they need most, as well as how to get those items to donation sites. The website is searchable by region and state.

“On behalf of the city of Chicago and our local healthcare workers, we are grateful to Acting Mayor Gong Zheng and the city of Shanghai for sharing these masks,” said Adrienne Tongate, Executive Director of Chicago Sister Cities International. “As we continue to come together across the world to combat the spread of Covid-19, donations like these are critical to our local healthcare workers. We are also thankful to the Co-Chair of our China Committee, Feng Xue, who helped coordinate the logistics of the donation.”

Chicago Sister Cities and World Business Chicago acknowledges and appreciates the efforts of all those who helped get this shipment quickly processed and delivered: US Customs & Border Protection, ADP Global Logistics, Bestway Transport, J & S Customs Brokers, and the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago.

Media Contact: Britney Bouie, 815-630-1311