New Mexico small businesses to get donated face coverings

NEW MEXICO – The state of New Mexico is partnering with various business organizations to give 171,000 cloth face coverings to small businesses around the state for free distribution to workers and customers who don’t have their own.

The masks, manufactured by the apparel company Hanes, were donated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency with distribution coordinated by the New Mexico

Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in partnership with the Association of Commerce and Industry and local chambers of commerce.

“The department received 171,000 cloth masks and delivered 60,000 of them to Albuquerque. The rest will be delivered around the state by next week,” said Secretary Bianca Ortiz-Wertheim.

The masks will be distributed in numerous New Mexico cities through their local chambers of commerce and the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry, including the city of Belen.

“Gov. Lujan Grisham is committed to opening up New Mexico and doing so safely. Face masks are an important tool to making this happen,” Ortiz-Wertheim said. “

“The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is pleased to support this goal, and we’re grateful to the Association of Commerce and Industry and our many Chambers of Commerce who are assisting in distributing these cloth masks across the state,” she said.

She added that as reopen New Mexico, it is important that local businesses have the equipment they need to keep their employees and customers safe.

Source: News Bulletin