Serena Williams donates over 4 million masks to underserved schools
The champion tennis player has teamed up with Bella Canvas to launch #MasksForKids, a program to support students in need of the protective wear while in school
Tennis star and mother, Serena Williams, has announced that she will be donating over 4 million masks to underserved schools.
Williams has teamed up with Bella Canvas to launch #MasksForKids, a program providing schools with quick access to affordable masks and educational health materials.
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The winner of 23 Grand Slams, Williams has supported numerous causes. However, since becoming a mother the work that she does for children has become more prominent. The global COVID-19 pandemic has opened up other opportunities for her to use her celebrity, influence, and wealth to make a difference.
Across the country, many students are heading back to school with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines still in place. The athlete could not side by knowing that she could make the difference in making sure all children as safe as they return to school.
She took to Instagram to talk about her most recent charitable effort.
“Getting back to school this fall means having #masksforkids to wear,” Williams posted to her Instagram page in late July with an accompanying vibrant animated video.
“I’m teaming up with @bellacanvas, the National School Board Association and @scholasticinc to donate 4.25 million masks to underserved schools and provide educational materials about masks to 54 million students and all 115,00 schools in the United States,” her post continued.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian are working hard to set a good example for their daughter by supporting causes that will have a sizable impact on some of the most vulnerable people in the world.
This virus has exacerbated every inequity Americans previously faced. Before COVID-19, low-income school districts across 27 states were already not receiving funding to satisfy students’ educational and welfare needs, reported The Education Trust.
Through #MasksForKids for each mask purchased, an additional mask will be donated to schools. Bella Canvas has also partnered with Until We Do It, to donate masks to people working for social justice.
“We’ve pledged to donate 1 million masks to aid protest efforts across America. For every 5 masks purchased, we’ll donate 100,” said the Bella Canvas statement.
While many have reopened, most states continue to have mask guidelines in place during their ongoing fight against the spread of coronavirus, reported Business Insider.
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“I’m grateful to be able to help educate our schools about this resource, and to be given the opportunity to serve so many students,” Williams’ post concluded.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear masks in public settings and when in proximity to people who aren’t living in their household. These recommendations are heightened in places like schools where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
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