Town of Norwood Recognizes Local Businesses for Production, Donations of Medical Supplies Amid COVID-19

NORWOOD — Town of Norwood General Manager Tony Mazzucco would like to recognize a number of local businesses who have adjusted their regular operations to assist in producing medical supplies and protective gear during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Businesses and organizations from multiple industries, along with local residents, have assisted in making a number of protective supplies, including face shields, masks and hand sanitizer. Other businesses have donated equipment for these supplies as well as N95 masks, gloves, disinfectants and more.

• Americad Technology, a local manufacturer, has produced and donated 735 face shields. 
• MS Walker, a wine and spirits company, has made and donated cases of hand sanitizer.
• Steel Art Co., a steel fabricator, has produced and donated 800 full face shields. 
• Lustra Cleaners, a dry cleaning company, is making face masks. 
• The Norwood Walmart store and Manager Albin Shkreli have donated approximately 90 yards of cloth to be used for making face masks. 
• Modern Pest Control’s Norwood branch has donated N95 masks.
• Keady Pest Control has donated gloves and masks.  
• The Rojo’s car wash location in Norwood has donated 6,000 gloves and will be donating more in the coming days.
• Ocean State Job Lot has donated 200 surgical masks as well as a large amount of material for masks. The location is also donating material to anyone who enters its store if they will make masks for first responders.
• All local Norwood hotels have donated water, cleaners and disinfectants and have made available room offers for frontline and essential workers.  
• Multiple local dentists have donated medical grade disinfectant, masks, gloves, tooth brushes and more.

Additionally, Candy Ellis, a local nurse, has donated N95 masks, medical gowns, medical grade disinfectant and surgical masks. A local group of residents has also made and donated thousands of masks. 

In the coming weeks, Boch will also finish its production of 1,000 KN95 masks for donation. 

Lt. John Cody of the Norwood Fire Department has coordinated the donations. MS Walker, Americad, Steel Art and Rojo’s contacted the fire department to see where their products could be put to use. Lt. Cody secured other donations by visiting local businesses and explaining the needs of first responders, healthcare workers and other facilities in town. 

The medical supplies and protective equipment donated thus far have been distributed by Lt. Cody to Norwood Hospital, along with the four nursing homes and two assisted living facilities in town. 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic has brought along with it many challenges, it’s been really wonderful to see all the people stepping up to help however they can,” General Manager Mazzucco said. “We’d like to express our appreciation to all of the local businesses and their employees, as well as our residents, who are using their equipment, materials and skills to help provide these critical supplies. Of course, this list is not comprehensive as so many people have donated whatever extra supplies they had, and all of the donations have been deeply appreciated. We’d also like to recognize Lt. Cody who has worked to secure, coordinate and distribute these donations.” 

The town would also like to recognize local businesses who have contributed to COVID-19 relief through generous donations to the Norwood Fund, which include, but are not limited to, Diorio Engineering and Norwood Bank.

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