Plum Alley

In March, our early research led us to focus on two areas: Sourcing and distributing personal protection equipment (PPE) - Plum Alley is working In partnership with ProCure Hope, a non-profit organization created solely to help during this pandemic ProCure Hope has raised over $400,000 and donated over 400,000 surgical and KN95 masks to essential and underserved communities

In addition, ProCure Hope secured a donation from WeWork's executive team of 100,000+ surgical masks for the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Individual packages were assembled and distributed to 3,000 women and children shelters

Facilitating large-scale testing -  Acknowledging that this was a huge task, the task force met virtually with many constituencies including testing companies, public health schools, hospital officials, universities and schools Upon reflection from the many conversations we had, it became clear that without governmental support, this effort would not be able to scale We still believe that large-scale testing and contact tracing are one of the key pillars to dampen the effects of the virus so that Americans could return to work and return to school

Camp Full STEAM Forward - The task force is excited to announce its latest initiative We are launching Camp Full STEAM Forward, a free, two week pilot program and summer camp for up to 20 disadvantaged girls in early August The program will teach critical thinking with an interdisciplinary approach focused on the STEAM fields This effort is being led by Joni Bessler, co-founder and director of ProCure Hope, and Plum Alley member and investor, with assistance from other Plum Alley members and organizations such as Bookends and Teach for America Please see the Camp Full STEAM Forward tab for more information

We have the passion, energy and generosity to make this happen

Mary Byron and Meme Scherr - Co-chairs, Plum Alley COVID-19 Task Force We have created a Personal Protection Equipment working group with Plum Alley members who were already actively sourcing and fundraising for PPE This includes Joni Bessler and Tiziana Figliolia of ProCure Hope and Marjorie Hsu of Project Cupcake on Open Collective

Prices are skyrocketing, suppliers are no longer accepting traditional terms, logistics are complicated, fake products are flooding the market and the need is dire By raising funds in advance, the PPE working group is able to leverage the connections to the supply chain in China, Taiwan and the US to take advantage of opportunities as they emerge

We are asking for your help in purchasing this life-saving equipment

While the needs vary greatly for each care provider and the supply we are able to source is also dynamic, your donation can ensure that healthcare workers have the protection they need and deserve

For $1,300, we can protect 5 front-line workers with needed masks and gowns for a week

For $5,400, we can protect them for a month! Any and all contributions will be welcomed and put to good use

The 3rd ER shift team in the South Shore Hospital (Weymouth, MA) wear the PPE sent by ProCure Hope

America cannot get back to work, school, and regular life until we have the capacity for large-scale testing Without it, asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 may spread the virus through communities without realizing it We are making progress but we need to do much more Currently, testing is only available for the sickest people and healthcare professionals Additionally, many tests take days to return the results, and require specific storage conditions that if not met, can lead to false negatives

We aim to identify testing companies and leverage our network to getting them in front of state and hospital procurement teams

We are currently assessing the testing landscape and have identified one company working with the FDA on an at-home testing product We would welcome introductions to government and hospital procurement professionals We are also interested in introductions to foundations who might be interested in helping to fill the funding gap between the need and the government response

We are all part of a powerful network that can make a big difference.

We need leaders who can come together to rapidly tap our networks and pool our resources, relationships, and skills to bring PPE equipment from certified sources to save lives and fund efforts to facilitate large scale testing so America can go back to work and go back to school

How can I get involved?

• Donate now for PPE and Camp Full STEAM Forward We respect your privacy Please review our privacy policy