IN EARLY 2020,DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID PANDEMIC AND THE SEVERE SHORTAGE OF PROTECTIVE GEARS, THE INSTITUTE INITIATED A PROGRAM TO PROCURE AND PROVIDE PROTECTIVE FACE MASKS FOR FRONTLINE MEDICAL PERSONNEL AND HOSPITALS THAT ARE FIGHTING THE PANDEMIC AROUND THE UNITED STATES. WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER NON-PROFITS GROUPS SUCH AS PPE2NYC, GETUSPPE.ORG AND MASKMATCH, THE INTITIUTE WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MASKS AND DISTRIBUTED TO OVER 150 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.