If you need any indication of how companies are stepping up in Windsor-Essex, you do not have to look far.
The City of Windsor received a donation of 500 litres of hand sanitizer made in the local BASF facility. Over the coming weeks, it can expect another 11,000 litres.
It will go to frontline healthcare workers, long-term care homes in the region, social services staff, police, firefighters and paramedics.
BASF is donating hand sanitizer to hospitals and essential services across the country and around the world too. So far, the company has given 175,000 litres, along with disinfectant, hand soap, masks, gloves and protective suits.
The Windsor plant is usually a key coatings supplier for the automotive industry, but the pandemic has halted production in the automotive and auto parts supplier plants.
"Given the slower demand from the automotive sector, we were happy to adjust and contribute to the fight against COVID-19," said Site Director for the Windsor facility, Jeff Klevering.
Donations large and small are coming in from across Windsor-Essex, including a recent donation of $7,500 to the Erie Shores Health Foundation to buy personal protective equipment for frontline staff. Ian Murray Insurance also donated $2,500 to the Green Heart Kitchen for food boxes to families in need.
Local distillers, including Hiram Walker & Sons have also donated 6,000 litres of hand sanitizer over the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, donations are still being accepted at the WFCU Centre in Windsor. For the foreseeable future, the donation centre will operate Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
So far, over 140 individuals and organizations have donated 3,200 N95 respirator masks, 32,000 surgical face masks, 43,000 pairs of disposable gloves, and 100 pairs of goggles or face shields.
Donors are asked to drive up to the Community Rink doors off the main parking lot, where they will be screened for the virus before the donations are received.
