Face-mask donation a 'godsend'
Face-mask donation a 'godsend'
4 August 2020
With the donated masks are (from left) Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Melbourne Abraham Lin, Lieut-Colonel Xuyen Pho, Major Brendan Nottle, Taiwanese Melbourne Chamber of Commerce President Frank Chang and Honorary President Vincent Liu, and Major Sandra Nottle.
The Taiwanese community of Melbourne has donated 10,000 face masks to The Salvation Army for distribution to vulnerable people in the city.
The Melbourne Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce made the donation to The Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614, which Corps Officer Major Brendan Nottle described as “a godsend”.
“One of the major issues we have been facing is helping people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, to access face masks that are clean,” he explained.
“The problem we have is that some people have gotten hold of one disposable face mask or a cloth mask and kept wearing it. This is an obvious risk of infection.”
Major Nottle said the donated masks are being given to “people who are homeless, or in temporary accommodation, and even people in permanent accommodation who don’t have access to clean PPE (personal protective equipment)”.
“People can now wear clean, safe face masks, which have now been mandated in Victoria,” he added. “It will go a long way towards keeping vulnerable people safe during this difficult time. Our thanks to the Taiwanese community, and to Lieut-Colonel Xuyen Pho [The Salvation Army Officer for Multicultural Community in Victoria], for his great work in the community, helping build strong community connections.”
Xuyen said the Taiwanese community took the initiative to work with The Salvation Army.
“The multicultural community is taking responsibility – they want to take part in ensuring the whole community is supported, and they see this donation as a vehicle to help people in need,” he said.
Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Melbourne, Abraham Lin, expressed his thanks to the Melbourne Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce for the donation.
“Taking action to prevent the spread of the global pandemic is in keeping with the spirit of our saying, ‘Taiwan can help and Taiwan is helping’,” he said. “For years, The Salvation Army has shown true love and compassion to help people in need, not only in Australia or Taiwan but also all over the world.
“Today we are facing the biggest global public health challenge we have ever experienced. However, we believe we will get through this if we unite together, support and pray for each other.”
The Salvation Army is still encouraging people to ‘Make a mask for Melbourne’ and is directing people to this website for instructions on how to make a cloth mask.
Masks can be posted to:
ATTN: Gary Reid
The Salvation Army
National Communications Warehouse
PO Box 297
Richmond 3121
Victoria
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