Mask Up Manatee Coalition to begin distributing 11,000 masks to Title I students, staff this Friday
MANATEE COUNTY, FL (Oct. 14, 2020) – Manatee Schools Superintendent, Manatee County Administrator and County Health Officer will lead a Mask Up Manatee team delivering 11,000 masks to the county’s 15 Title I elementary schools this Friday and next.
Superintendent Cynthia Saunders, Manatee County Government Administrator Cheri Coryea and Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Bencie of the Florida Department of Health Manatee will kickoff the mask delivery days on this Friday, Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. at Tillman Elementary School.
It’s part of the Mask Up Manatee Coalition campaign, which was initiated in August and has brought together government agencies, businesses, medical providers and non-profit organizations in Manatee County to fight together against the spread of COVID-19.
The coalition now consists of more than 45 members, including Manatee Memorial Hospital, Blake Medical Center, Centerstone, MCR Health, Port Manatee, Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation, Manatee County Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce, Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce, Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, Multicultural Health Institute and many more.
Manatee County Government purchased 50,000 masks using CARES Act funding that will be used in the deliveries. Dr. Bencie, County Administrator Coryea and Superintendent Saunders are planning to deliver masks to the first two schools on the schedule this Friday morning. Other coalition partner leaders will be invited to participate in the deliveries as well.
“The timing of these deliveries is very important because it will help us reinforce the message to our students and employees of ‘Don’t let your guard down!” said Superintendent Saunders. “I want to thank all of the coalition partners who are making this campaign possible and especially for their concern for the welfare of our children, teachers and support employees.”
“We’ve been steadily delivering thousands adult masks to our Coalition Partners in recent weeks, and now we’re so eager to bring a large quantity of masks to the children in most need in our community,” Administrator Coryea said.
The schedule of deliveries for this Friday is as follows:
- Tillman Elementary - 9 a.m.
- Palm View K-8 - 9:45 a.m.
- Blackburn Elementary - 10:30 a.m.
- Palmetto Elementary - 11:15 a.m.
- Manatee Elementary - Noon
- Samoset Elementary - 12:45 p.m.
- Oneco Elementary - 1:30 p.m.