Responding to the urgent and growing needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Prudential Financial has donated 153,000 face masks—including 75,000 n95 respirators—for health care workers in New Jersey and committed $1.5 million in funding for local businesses and community support, both in the U.S. and internationally.
One hospital treating COVID-19 patients in the state estimates it is using nearly 10,000 masks a day. They are running dangerously low, and shipments of new supplies are arriving too slowly, according to local officials. Based on this estimate, Prudential’s supply should offer relief for more than two weeks of care.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and government officials have called on the private sector to support the needs of the medical industry from warehoused supplies.
Prudential, which maintains supplies as part of its emergency preparedness, has also donated 300 bottles of hand sanitizer. Once identified, Prudential staff quickly alerted state officials over the weekend and by Sunday evening, they were loaded on a truck and ready for immediate distribution to local health facilities by the New Jersey State Police.
“While the pandemic has become a global crisis, the fight against it is taking place locally and will be won at the community level,” said Charles F. Lowrey, Prudential’s chairman and CEO. “Our cities, towns and neighborhoods have always been there for us, in good times and bad. Their health, well-being and prosperity are vital to our future. We will not let them down in this hour of need.”
In addition to protective personal equipment, Prudential is contributing to organizations working directly to support small businesses, families in need and the nonprofit sector.
Recipients of this funding include relief organizations in several locations where Prudential has a large footprint of employees, such as Newark, New Jersey, El Paso, Texas, and Hartford, Connecticut. Overseas, Prudential has also committed to supporting small businesses in Japan and pledged contributions to UNICEF and the Fosun Foundation in China.
Recognizing the profound impact of the pandemic on the most vulnerable workers, including service employees and gig-economy workers, Prudential will also provide financial support to nonprofit organizations that offer financial counseling and assistance in the weeks ahead.
