The East Valley Institute of Technology has donated 2,500 masks and personal protection equipment (PPE), including about 350 isolation gowns, to a northern Arizona medical facility in need of supplies.

The health supplies are used by students in the EVIT School of Health Sciences, which offers more than a dozen nursing and health technician training programs for high school students and adults in the East Valley. Like other public schools across Arizona, EVIT is closed at this time to help prevent the spread of COVID 19, so the supplies were not being used.

EVIT Governing Board President Ronda Doolen, who is also a registered nurse and dean of nursing at Arizona College, reached out to District 6 legislator Rep. Walt Blackman, who worked with District 6 Sen. Sylvia Allen to identify a need for the supplies at Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Show Low.

“When I heard a need existed, I absolutely made the connections I could to help those who are helping others,” Ms. Doolen said. “That’s what is needed in times like this – looking for real solutions that solve real problems.”

EVIT quickly compiled the supplies to get them into the hands of medical professionals as soon as possible, and they were picked up from the Main Campus on Monday.

EVIT Superintendent Dr. Chad Wilson said the donation fits perfectly with EVIT’s mission of “changing lives by loving our students and serving our communities.”

“Most often, we view our community as being the East Valley, but in times of need, we recognize our community is the great state of Arizona,” Dr. Wilson said. “We are happy to help Sen. Allen and the good people in her communities.”