$1.1 Million in Free PPE Distributed to Local Businesses

Lisa Farquharson, President of TDACC and Megan Thompson, TDACC Incoming Board Chair fulfilling local businesses PPE orders.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce has given out the last round of free COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to local businesses. Funding for the free PPE supplies for Oregon businesses was allocated from the federal CARES Act by the Governor’s office in partnership with the Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board. PPE included items such as masks, hand sanitizer, thermometers, gloves, and disinfectant. The PPE from Business Oregon to local businesses.

Over 350 local businesses took advantage of the free supplies.

TDACC reported that they had been able to order and distribute $1.1 million worth of PPE in the region. TDACC has processed 985 orders total since last November, with some businesses placing multiple orders.

TDACC expressed gratitude to Cascade Cherry Growers and Megan Thompson for donating their time and the use of their warehouse and equipment to make the delivery possible. As well as a big thank you to Wasco County Emergency Management Services Manager Sheridan McClellan, for helping to make the process possible. The City of The Dalles, Wasco County, Port of The Dalles, The Dalles Main Street, Columbia Gorge Community College College, Small Business Development Center, and Mid-Columbia Economic Development District also helped by sharing the information to businesses in Wasco County.

“Our Chamber Board of Directors and Chamber Ambassadors really made it their mission to get these supplies to our businesses and to be honest it felt a little like Christmas every time we filled your orders,” read TDACC’s email blast.

This will be the last round of PPE to be given out.

“Due to supply shortages and after filling more than 8,000 orders, we are no longer taking new applications for supplies for Oregon small businesses. The state of Oregon fulfilled orders at no charge until resources were depleted,” said Business Oregon’s website.

Due to these shortages, the last round of PPE given out was missing a few of the items ordered by local businesses. TDACC said they plan to notify businesses when the rest of their order becomes available for pick-up.