Coronavirus: 300 Plastic Suits Donated To Chicago Hospital

SKOKIE — Denyse Wang Stoneback, Democratic nominee for Illinois' 16th House District, partnered with Skokie resident Robert Kusel and other volunteers to deliver 300 plastic suits to Swedish Hospital in Chicago, according to a news release from Stoneback's camp. Kusel, whose son works as an ER nurse at the hospital, reached out to the candidate via email to encourage donations of personal protective equipment. Morton Grove resident Raymund Castro responded to Stoneback's subsequent outreach efforts with a donation of hundreds of plastic suits.

Stoneback, Kusel and other volunteeers now are working on a grassroots plan to facilitate donations of personal protective equipment for hospitals.

"Businesses and individuals may have disinfectant wipes, N95 masks, surgical masks, gloves, gowns and hand sanitizer that they can donate to help our health care workers who are working on the front lines of this crisis," Stoneback said. "We encourage everyone to donate anything they can to meet this immediate and urgent need for [personal protective equipment]."

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Stoneback also is encouraging the manufacturing of personal protective equipment on 3D printers.

"We need new supply lines for PPE," Stoneback said. "Schools, libraries, maker labs and individuals who have 3D printers can put them to good use in this crisis and help protect health care workers. There are open source templates and instructions available to people who want to use them."

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