With the Covid-19 outbreak just announced and the city of Wuhan on lockdown, it soon became apparent that medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) were becoming increasingly scarce. The Shenzhen chapter’s leaders quickly responded with their “Fight Coronavirus charity campaign.” Focused on helping alleviate this crisis in central China, through their efforts they raise more than RMB110,000 yuan (approximately $16,000) for supplies from over 800 U of M alumni, students, and community members. However, procuring the protective gear proved difficult due to manufacturing delays world-wide. Through hard work and extensive networking, this group leveraged their Minnesotan connections with current University students, 3M and alumni in Europe to get these much needed supplies to the areas with the highest need. The resulting donations of masks, goggles and protective clothing were distributed between almost 20 hospitals in China.
