Fundraiser Led by PC Laptops Helping Thousands of Frontline Workers Get PPE

The COVID-19 virus has hit America hard, but in some places it has been harder than others for healthcare workers and first responders to keep up with an exponentially growing number of people who need hospitalization in intensive care units (ICUs). The strain on the healthcare system in places like New York has led to calls for help from other healthcare workers around the U.S. who can come to relieve the nurses and doctors fighting on the front lines to save patients for weeks.

Moira, a Utah-based ICU nurse, heard the call for help and answered it. She volunteered to go to a hospital system in New York to treat patients infected with COVID-19. When she talked to a hospital administrator, she learned that nurses were getting only a single face mask and a single gown to wear every five days.

"That’s it, and that’s pretty bad. Donations are huge right now," she said, noting that friends and family have stepped up with donations, and local groups have sewn homemade masks and gowns for her to take.

When PC Laptops owner Dan Young heard about it, he wanted to help. He had already launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to purchase masks for other frontline workers and first responders who were running low on personal protective equipment, or PPE. The spirit of people like Moira—whose selfless decision to go where she is needed most, in spite of the risks to her own health and the health of her family—was exactly the reason he launched the fundraiser.

Thanks to the generous donations ranging from $10 to $25,000, Dan and PC Laptops sent enough N95 respirator masks with Moira so she could have a new mask for every shift over the next 13 weeks. There are also additional masks she can share with coworkers and other healthcare employees who are desperately low on PPE.

Several cities and counties in Utah, as well as hospitals in the devastated regions of New York, have also received PPE donations, including:

• Beaver County
• Bluffdale
• Brigham City
• Cedar City
• Harrisville
• Heber City
• Iron County
• Kaysville
• La Verkin
• Richfield
• Salina
• Salt Lake County
• Sevier County
• South Ogden
• Uintah Basin
• Wayne County
• Weber State
• Woods Cross
• New Rochelle, NY
• Manhattan VA Hospital, NY

Unfortunately the battle isn’t over yet, and coronavirus continues to spread. Places that haven’t seen a lot of cases may see increases in the coming weeks and we want to be prepared. If you can donate to help us get even more masks, please do: gofundme.com/fightcovid19utah. A $10 donation can purchase enough PPE to protect the lives of two first responders or healthcare workers—and protect dozens more by keeping the public, patients, and the families of first responders safe too.

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much,” said Moira. “We’re all going to get through this. Take care, everybody."

From the entire team at PC Laptops, thank you to Moira and everyone who is doing their part to slow the spread of this virus. If you’re working from home and need help with your computer, our 9 locations are open for PC repair and service. We also have free virus and malware scans, cleaning, and sanitizing for your computer, and new safe check-in procedures as well as curbside drop-off and pickup available.