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Through continued engagement with its people and community, as well as with subject matter experts, Novelis sought to identify opportunities to make an immediate and positive impact at the start of the pandemic.
Quickly recognizing the opportunity for collaboration and teamwork, Novelis, Oswego Health and its Foundation, the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce and Quilt with Passion came together to align efforts – creating “SOH 2020.”
Designed to Support Oswego Health, “SOH 2020” began as a two-week online event/virtual call to action – offering information/resources for homemade, reusable mask-making and various acts of kindness to support the medical personnel and first responders in Oswego County with three key objectives:
- Create a sense of community online while supporting medical personnel (and one another) as we navigate the challenges presented by COVID-19
- Support efforts for COVID-19 response and relief in the medical community through online fundraising
- Fulfill the most immediate needs for PPE including but not limited to new/unopened N95 masks, safety goggles, face shields, gloves and DIY reusable cloth masks
An initial goal of collecting 2,020 reusable cloth face masks (among other PPE) was set to help fulfill the most urgent and immediate needs facing medical personnel. Thanks to the incredible efforts of many small businesses and individuals (especially the sewists from Quilt With Passion) in Oswego County, SOH 2020 surpassed this goal. The team collected over 2,100 reusable cloth masks , hundreds of Face Shields, Safety Goggles, Latex Gloves and N95/K95 masks as well as thousands of dollars within its initial two-week campaign.
“On behalf of our medical staff and all the employees at Oswego Health, we would like to recognize the tremendous contributions made by community members across Oswego County; from donations of food to PPE and homemade masks, thank you so much for your continued support during this trying time,” says Margaret Barclay, Executive Director of Oswego Health Foundation.
As the needs of the community continue to evolve, GOFCC, Quilt With Passion, Novelis and Oswego Health Foundation partnered with iHeart Oswego to update and amend the SOH 2020 event into a more sustainable long-term program – enhancing community connectivity and the ability to support ongoing COVID-19 response, relief and recovery.
“The genesis of SOH 2020 was our collective desire to support Oswego’s healthcare heroes’ and our wonderful community through an organized collective effort,” says Leila Giancone of Novelis. “Recognizing the ongoing need, the team decided to sustain these efforts as we continue to identify ways to respond and recover from the challenges presented by COVID because we are truly stronger together.”
The SOH 2020 Team is pleased to announce the launch of the community resource SOH2020.com, a website designed, maintained and donated by the iHeart Corp of Oswego, that offers community guidance on ways to contribute and help as well as provides resources for those seeking assistance as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times.
For more information go to: www.soh2020.com
