The Oak Park Chinese Community, an unofficial community group in Oak Park of Chinese families working together through social media, passed out personal protection equipment to residents of the community at the Oak Park Library on April 17. They have also been delivering masks to seniors who request them.

The equipment could be picked up through a drive-thru to make sure social distancing was enforced. The OPCC put up to 10 masks in bags, placing them curbside or tossing them into back windows. The distributors were also wearing masks, gloves and standing 6 feet apart.

“The mask endeavor within Oak Park and Neighborhoods started on March 16, when one of the recognized leaders of OPCC posted on Nextdoor asking the senior neighbors for their need of face masks. As a result, she personally donated and distributed 600 masks to the senior community,” Oak Park Chinese Community member Rian Li said.

After the CDC recommended wearing masks when outside, the OPCC found a reason to broaden their base past their immediate families, as there was a high demand for masks in the community. In about a day and a half, they were able to fundraise for 1,200 masks. They have many requests to also deliver masks to families who can not go out, mainly those in the vulnerable group.

“We prioritized seniors, people with pre-conditions or other hardships. Masks were wrapped with Stretch-Tite [plastic] wrap and packed in brown bags, all handled with gloves. Brown bags were deposited at the doorstep of individual households. Then we send a message to notify the delivery of masks — zero contact with other humans during the process,” Li said.

Oak Park community member and senior Marvin Levine utilized the delivery service in order to get masks. Levine needed masks for his family and found this to be a convenient way to get them.

“The post said if you can’t pick up we will deliver to you in a day or two, which they did. [I] only wanted 5 and they were giving 10, which was appreciated,” Levine said.

After the Friday drive-thru distribution, the OPCC ran out of masks to continue the originally planned Saturday and Sunday drive-thrus for masks. 1,700 masks went to about 250 families in the Oak Park community alone on April 17, while about 150,000 masks and PPE have been delivered to hospitals, organizations and individuals in need by the Ventura County Chinese Community.

“Doctors who received hand sewn masks/covers from VCCC said ‘it melts my heart’,” Li said.