Coronavirus: Donations Pour Into Stony Brook University Hospital

STONY BROOK, NY — Donations to Stony Brook University Hospital have been pouring in ever since the March 20 launch of a donation program, the school said in a news release. School officials called the success an "outpouring of generosity" from Long Islanders in response to the new coronavirus.

Joan Dickinson, director of Stony Brook University Community Relations, Colby Rowe, Stony Brook Medicine Trauma Center educator and EMS outreach coordinator, and Scott LaMarsh, building manager for the Charles B. Wang Center, are leading the donation response teams that are speaking with donors, scheduling donations and shipments, receiving and cataloging the materials, and distributing the items. Scheduled donations continue throughout April.

From March 20 through April 4, the donation response teams have:

Answered/Managed

• 2,200 emails
• 415 donor calls by phone
• 140 scheduled appointments for donation drop off
• 50 shipments of materials
• 275 video messages

Received

• 201,959 pieces of personal protective equipment
• 4,793 comfort care items
• 232 iPads
• 65 food deliveries

Collected

• Financial contributions — donate to Coronavirus Crisis Challenge.
• PPE donations, including N95 3M 1860 masks and other masks, protective eye-wear, goggles, gloves and face shields, including 3D-printed frames.
• iPad donations.
• Equipment, including ventilators.
• Comfort care items for staff such as food through the SBUH Meal Train, water and beverages; hand lotion, dry shampoo, tissue packs, antibacterial wipes, ChapStick; liquid hand soap (pump jars/bottles preferred), hand sanitizer, Lysol and Clorox wipes; snacks, gum, candy, cough drops; stress balls, fidget spinners, aromatherapy masks and video messages of support.
• Comfort care items for patients such as puzzles, coloring pages and pencils; blank books and pens; socks, earplugs, sleep masks; notebooks, pens, pencils, sharpeners.

All N95 masks approved by Stony Brook Medicine have been promptly distributed to healthcare professionals at Stony Brook University Hospital, along with other approved PPE. N95 masks and other PPE are being distributed to the university's partners at Stony Brook Southampton and Eastern Long Island Hospital to fulfill their requests.

In addition to the overwhelming response from the community, others have been answering the call on campus. The iCreate Lab assembled hundreds of 3D-printed face shields — 1,600 have been delivered to the Hospital to date — and the Department of Chemistry made nearly 100 gallons of hand sanitizer for campus use.

"It’s been great to see the community come together," Dickinson said. "These donations are more than a great support for the hospital; they empower donors to be part of the solution."

To maintain social distancing and safety, appointments are being scheduled for donation drop-off. If you'd like to donate, contact Dickinson at COVID19donations@stonybrook.edu or call 631-219-0603 to schedule an appointment.