At The Cheshire Horse, we are always excited to support Giving Tuesday (the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving) to benefit local charities such as Monadnock United Way, Draft Gratitude Draft Horse Rescue, and the Monadnock Humane Society. In an emergency response to unprecedented need created during the COVID-19 pandemic, Giving Tuesday Now has been designated as a day of global giving and unity. We realize that now, more than ever, we need to step up and support our local community, and we have responded by creating a campaign in support of those who need it most during the coronavirus pandemic.
On May 5, 2020, we will be donating one mask to Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services (HCS) for every purchase on our website. Help us make a lasting difference by choosing to purchase your horse care needs and barn supply products from our website. One mask will be donated for each online purchase that is made between 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time.
To assist in our mission, we also are giving you the opportunity to purchase additional masks for donation. To add mask donations to your purchase, click here. This option does not end at the conclusion of the Giving Tuesday Now event on May 5th; we will be collecting mask donations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The masks will be donated to HCS in Keene, NH, our local, non-profit home healthcare agency. For over 110 years, HCS has provided home care services to southwestern New Hampshire. In recent years, their program has expanded to include a number of important services, including hospice work, their popular Meals on Wheels program that delivers meals to over 400 seniors every day, and the Friendly Bus which provides transportation to otherwise housebound individuals. The new Healthy Starts program works with high-risk pregnant mothers to support their growing families and help them achieve set goals which help them move toward a healthy and safe life together.
HCS has quickly responded to the needs of the community in light of the pandemic with increased telephone support services and curbside healthcare offerings. According to Susan Ashworth, the Director of Community Relations at HCS, they have needed to change many of their day-to-day operations. “The Castle Center Life Enrichment Program and the Friendly Meals program have unfortunately needed to be put on a temporary hiatus due to the group setting of the programs,” she explains. “We have also needed to increase our sanitizing and social distancing measures. The City Express and Friendly Bus programs are still running but the buses are operating with much smaller loads to ensure the safety of the bus riders.” Additionally, over 70 new residents have been added to the Meals on Wheels program to keep compromised individuals safe and fed with nutritious food throughout the pandemic. All of these changes, combined with the increase in personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, have put a strain on the non-profit organization that works tirelessly to support our community throughout all of life’s stages.
Our mask donations will be provided to the visiting nurses, hospice workers, social workers, and physical therapists to protect their PPE. They will also be worn by the City Express bus drivers, the Friendly Bus drivers, and Meals on Wheels delivery personnel.
In addition to supporting the health and wellness of the Monadnock area, we are also able to support one of our own trusted equestrian manufacturers. All donated masks will be the Essential® 3-ply face masks that are hand sewn by the talented seamstresses at EquiFit in Dedham, MA. The innovative equestrian manufacturer has temporarily shifted their focus from making horse boots, saddle pads, and other equine equipment to producing reusable masks. The masks all feature their proprietary AgSilver™ infused into the inner layer, which is known to help safeguard against bacterial growth. Just as with their equestrian products, EquiFit’s research and development team has worked to create a superior product that meets the needs of health care professionals.
Join us in supporting our community healthcare partners today and everyday throughout this crisis. We are excited to prove just how powerful the local equestrian community can be; together, we can make a difference.