MAYOR LIGHTFOOT AND CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT THANK DONORS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED OFFICERS ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK
More than 100 businesses, restaurants and schools have donated protective gear, cleaning supplies and free meals to Chicago’s police officers
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot joined Chicago Police Interim Superintendent Charlie Beck and Chief David Brown to thank the more than 100 donors that have supported Chicago’s police officers on the front lines of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Over the past several weeks, businesses, restaurants, schools and non-profit organizations from across the city generously donated hundreds of pieces of protective gear, cleaning supplies and free meals to further help officers stay safe and healthy as they continue to serve Chicago’s residents.
“Chicago’s first responders have been a torchlight throughout the COVID-19 crisis, inspiring more than 100 generous individuals, schools, churches, restaurants and non-profit organizations to help support our brave men and women who are on the front lines of this fight,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “These donations exemplify not only the character of our city and but also its residents as they respond to a crisis in unison. This is Chicago at its finest.”
The donations made over the past month have supplemented the City’s stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, which to date, has included more than 100,000 masks, more than 100,000 gloves, 50,000 hand sanitizers and additional PPE for Chicago’s police districts. Last week, the Department distributed an additional 12,000 kits of infection control and protective gear, which were assembled and prepared by recruits who had training suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The community has proven that even in these unprecedented times, Chicago will stand together and protect one another,” said Interim Superintendent Charlie Beck. “Small businesses, church groups, schools and many generous residents have stepped up during this outbreak. We will emerge from this pandemic together as a stronger city.”
“The generosity, compassion, and resiliency this city has shown during times of crisis is a testament to its character,” said Chief David Brown. “Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Chicago’s restaurants, businesses and individual residents are facing their own tough times, and yet through their good hearts, they still find the time to support our dedicated police officers. I could not be prouder to serve as the next Superintendent of Police for such a remarkable city.”
As part of Chicago’s local efforts to support its community’s police officers, 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea, in partnership with The Original Pancake House, has raised more than $50,000 to support first responders and front-line medical workers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Since March 25th, the funds have been utilized to provide free, packaged meals to more than 400 of Chicago’s police officers.
“From providing a free meal to donating extra supplies, the smallest gesture can mean the world to our officers during these unprecedented times. So we are letting them know that we care about them, we’re thinking about them and we want to do everything we can to support them,” said 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea. “Chicago’s communities stand together in times of difficulty, and I want to thank everyone who has donated to our cause to ensure that now more than ever, we support those who protect us.”
Supplementing the City’s PPE stockpile for first responders, Magid Glove & Supply, a local manufacturer, donated more than 2,500 N95 masks and 40,000 nitrile gloves to Chicago police officers to assist in protecting and lowering the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
“As a fourth-generation family-owned Chicago safety company, we feel it’s our duty in times like these to ensure the safety of everyone continuing to work during this pandemic. Given what we do, we’re in a unique position to help our community in a very tangible way, donating the safety equipment we supply,” said Magid Director of Corporate Initiatives Jeff Cohen. “We were grateful to support the Chicago Police Department and ensure they have the personal protective equipment they need. Time is of the essence and we want to reassure the courageous men and women on the front lines during this pandemic that their equipment protects them.”
Last week, KOVAL Distillery in Ravenswood delivered more than 100 gallons of free hand sanitizer to Chicago’s 22 police districts. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the distillery shifted all their regular production to creating supplies for first responders and healthcare workers. As part of their ongoing efforts, the business has launched a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $60,000 to supplement their recent donations.
“This public health crisis has forced us to dramatically shift our production, our business and our lives in order to protect one another,” said KOVAL Distillery Co-Founder and President Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart. “We are so fortunate to be able to assist the brave individuals on the front lines, who every day are facing new challenges, the likes of which our world has never seen. That meant shifting all our efforts from whiskey and gin to producing alcohol-based sanitizer for those who need it most.”
In addition to local businesses, schools and education organizations from across the city have gathered and donated additional supplies to ensure officers could keep their work areas, vehicles and equipment clean. Following the state-mandated school closures, Ebinger Elementary School, Edgebrook Elementary School, George Washington High School, Christ the King Catholic School and others have donated hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes to their local police districts.
“We realized that with schools closed, we had extra wipes and hand sanitizer that we could donate,” said Christ The King Principal Dr. Ann Marie Riordan. “We wanted to help protect those who protect us.”
The Department’s leadership continues to prioritize the health and safety of all 13,400 officers who continue responding to calls for service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Department personnel and recruits from the Chicago Police Training and Education Academy have been re-deployed throughout the city in support of District operations, and specialized teams have been created to exclusively respond to calls for service involving individuals confirmed to have, or who are exhibiting serious symptoms related to COVID-19.
In addition to those who donated anonymously, the Department recognizes these businesses, schools, organizations and individuals for their donations:
18TH STREET BREWERY
19TH WARD OFFICE
AL AMEER NUTS
AL AQSA SUPERMARKETS
ALDERMAN MATT O’SHEA
ALDERWOMAN PAT DOWELL
ALLEN METROPOLITAN C.M.E. CHURCH
ALICE AND CAITLYN BALANDIS
AMY DESMOND
BARACCO’S
BASIL LEAF CAFE
BETTY MCNABB
BEVERLY HILLS NAIL SALON
BUONA BEEF
CANTON REGIO STEAKHOUSE
CD ONE PRICE CLEANERS
CHAD HALVERSON
CHICK-FIL-A
CHINATOWN WATCH
CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GREATER CHICAGO
CHRIST THE KING SCHOOL
CONNIE’S PIZZA
COSTCO
CUBS CHARITIES
DEARBORN WHOLESALE
DECISIVE EDGE
DR. JOSEPH MCCARTIN, DDS AND STAFF
DSTRKT BAR & GRILL
EBINGER ELEMENTARY
EDGEBROOK SCHOOL
EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS
EDISON PARK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
EDISON PARK INN
FALCON FUEL
FIREWATER SALOON
FOP LODGE NO. 7
GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
GIBSON’S
GIORDANO’S PIZZA
THE GODFREY HOTEL
GOTHAM GREENS
HAPPY FOODS
HAWKEYES
HAYMARKET PUB AND BREWERY
HOME DEPOT
HOME RUN INN PIZZA
HUTCH
HYMAN’S ACE HARDWARE
IPSENTO COFFEE
ISLAMIC COMMUNITY CENTER OF ILLINOIS AND ISLAMIC COMMUNITY OUTREACH
JAMIE BAILEY
JERK 48
JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS
JEWEL-OSCO
JOEY’S RED HOTS
JOSEPHINE’S SOUTHERN COOKING
JULIE SKOKNA
KEN GRIFFIN
KING POLLO
KOVAL DISTILLERY
KRYSANA BOWERY
KYLE SCHWARBER’S NEIGHBORHOOD HEROES
LEE BIELECKI
LITTLE ITALY CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
LODGE MANAGEMENT GROUP
LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE
LOU CANELLIS
LOU MALNATI’S PIZZERIA
MAGID
MAHOGANY ELLER
MAPLEWOOD BREWERY & DISTILLERY
MARIE’S PIZZA
MARY ELLEN BROWN & GARFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
MCDONALD’S
MEL JONES FROM ATMOSPHERE GLOBAL
MIKE AND DOREEN KALCK
MITCHELLE KMIEC
MOHAMED SALEH
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS
NATIONWIDE FURNITURE OF CHICAGO
NAZARETH BAKERY AND SWEETS
NEIU PROFESSOR KIP CONWELL
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE
ONAHAN ELEMENTARY
PALERMO BAKERY
PALMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PAT’S PIZZA
PAYLESS MUFFLERS AND BRAKES
PENNY PETERSON
PHARMACY ONE
PHIL’S PIZZA D’ORO
PITA INN OF SKOKIE
POMPEI
QUARANTINO RESTAURANT
RHONDA SWEENEY
ROSATI’S PIZZA
SALERNO’S PIZZA
SAMI MURPHY
SHOP & SAVE MARKET
SICILIA BAKERY CHICAGO
SICILIAN BAKERY
SKORES HARWOOD HEIGHTS BAR & GRILL
SKYWAY AUTO
ST. CHRISTINA GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND PARISH
STARBUCKS
SUNSHINE FOOD & LIQUORS
TAFT FRESHMAN ACADEMY
TARGET
TAYLOR RITE
TEMPLE FUEL
TERRY MULDOON
TONY’S ITALIAN DELI & SUBS
TRIPLE CROWN RESTAURANT
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CRIME LAB
VICTORY ITALIAN
WALDO COONEYS PIZZA
YOUSF MARIE
AND ALL OTHERS WHO GENEROUSLY DONATED
