Business and charitable communities are rallying to support Massachusetts General Hospital in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Companies and charitable foundations, including Bank of America, the Manton Foundation, Biogen and Goldman Sachs, have made significant contributions of funds and materials to support programs at the front line of the Mass General response efforts.
“COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge that demands an unprecedented response that extends beyond the walls of our hospital,” says David F.M. Brown, MD, chief of Emergency Medicine at Mass General. “We are grateful for the generosity and support we have received from across the local and international community. These critical contributions will help us meet the needs of our patients and keep our health care workers safe during this crisis.”
As one of only ten Regional Ebola and other Special Pathogens Centers designated by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Mass General has specialized teams of clinical staff trained to provide safe care to patients in exactly this kind of outbreak. In parallel, our researchers and physicians are working with the newly-formed Greater Boston Consortium for Pathogen Readiness on research to quickly and effectively respond to COVID-19. Donations to the Emergency Response Fund and other related programs support Mass General’s comprehensive response effort and provide necessary support and supplies to the caregivers and scientists on the front line.
The Bank of America Foundation committed $2,000,000 to the Mass General Emergency Response Fund.
The Manton Foundation announced it will contribute $1,000,000. The gift will be divided between Mass General’s Department of Emergency Medicine ($500,000), the Center for Disaster Medicine ($250k) and the Emergency Response Fund ($250,000).
“COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge that demands an unprecedented response that extends beyond the walls of our hospital.”
The Biogen Foundation, the charitable arm of the Cambridge-based biotech, made a gift to Mass General’s Emergency Medicine Department in response to the care its employees received at the start of regional outbreak. The company is also providing medical equipment and supplies to test more patients for COVID-19.
International investment and financial firm Goldman Sachs provided 6,000 N95 masks and 25,000 surgical masks.
The Nuance Foundation gave $50,000 to the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard to support efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation made a gift of $10,000 to support food security in Mass General’s Chelsea and Revere Health Centers during the crisis.
The Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation announced it will contribute $10,000 to support Mass General’s Center for Community Health Improvements.
DCU—Digital Federal Credit Union contributed to the Mass General Emergency Response Fund and the Center for Disaster Medicine.
(This story reflects gifts received on or before Friday March 27, 2020.)
To learn more about how you can support Mass General’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic, click here.
