Los Angeles, CA August 20, 2020 – With Los Angeles County registering about 225,000 cases of COVID-19 to date, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas handed out free masks to some of the essential workers on the frontlines of this pandemic \u2013 grocery workers \u2013 and the low-income communities of color they serve.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrocery store essential workers continue to be unsung heroes in this pandemic, risking their health every time they go to work to make sure we have food on the table,\u201d Supervisor Ridley-Thomas said during a mask giveaway at the Ralphs supermarket on Obama Boulevard, which serves the Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw and West Adams neighborhoods in South LA. \u201cWith these free masks, we are letting them know that they are not forgotten heroes, and we are committed to making sure they have the ability to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWearing a mask is key to combatting COVID-19, flattening the curve, and safely reopening Los Angeles County,\u201d Supervisor Ridley-Thomas added. \u201cFree masks mean people in low-income communities of color don\u2019t have to choose between taking precautions against the pandemic, or buying groceries and other necessities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredible,\u201d Ralphs store director Xavier Hendricks said. \u201cNot only are we providing the community with some masks, we\u2019re providing our essential workers \u2013 Ralphs employees \u2013 with basic tools to keep everyone safe. The fact that Ralphs is part of the community and we\u2019re doing this together is just a perfect example of how community and business are making everyone safe and providing an essential service.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the last several weeks, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas has been working with\u00a0Operation USA, Servicon<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Moldex<\/a>\u00a0to distribute 150,000 masks throughout the County\u2019s Second District. This is the latest installment: 20,000 masks specifically for grocery workers and residents of the Baldwin Hills\/Crenshaw and West Adams neighborhoods, which have been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus.<\/p>\n