This article was originally published on StateCollege.com on May 20, 2020. You can read the original at the following link: http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/the-rivet-donates-more-than-1000-face-shields-to-community-organizations,1483286/?fbclid=IwAR09JlTQLa1hZYCOX6WeqWtbljstqd3348-nQ1rUg7aRS5lNUiIVYllM5hY
Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Rivet has been among the key community organizations using its equipment and expertise to help provide personal protective equipment to frontline workers.
The makerspace at Discovery Space in State College has worked with a Penn State initiative to offer its materials and tools to assist with prototyping respirators, face shields, ventilators and more. And its staff and volunteers have collaborated with Actuated Medical in Bellefonte to produce face shields.
Aided by donations to purchase raw materials, The Rivet has now produced more than 1,000 face shields that have been donated to a variety of organizations throughout Centre County.
“We‘re so pleased with the community support for this effort,” Michele Crowl, executive director of Discovery Space, said in a statement. “From our donors to The Rivet staff to our volunteers, everyone was extremely generous and quickly jumped into action. We’re doing our best to support the community during the COVID-19 pandemic and providing no-cost PPE was high on everyone’s wish list.”
More than 30 organizations have received free face shields from The Rivet, from senior living communities to local governments to nonprofits.
The biggest beneficiary has been the Centre County Board of Elections, which received 400 face shields for poll workers to use during the June 2 primary and the November general election.
Other recipients have included CATA, The Village at Penn State, Centre Crest and Centre LifeLink EMS.
The Rivet is also acting as a collection and distribution point for donated PPE and receives donations nearly every day. To make a donation or request, email [email protected].