SoClean's Masks for NH Completes Mission

To meet an urgent need for respiratory protective face masks, a Peterborough company tapped its worldwide network, distributing 250,000 masks to more than 200 facilities across the state in April.

Dubbed "Masks for NH," the effort was created by S°Clean, which designs and produces automated CPAP cleaner and sanitizer technology. Eric Burbank, vice president of operations at S°Clean, managed the logistics, working closely with the NH Department of Health and Human Services, the NH Bureau of Emergency Management and The Foundation for Healthy Communities to ensure health care organizations throughout the state were aware of the program.

Burbank says after sharing the details of the program with health care facilities, they also heard from police, fire and EMT services in many towns that protective equipment supplies were limited and the most critical items, including masks, were running low.

"With many ties in numerous rural communities, our management team identified shortfalls in protective gear among health care workers on the front lines. This went beyond hospitals and included nursing homes, clinics, fire stations and more," says Bob Wilkins, CEO of S°Clean. "As a company with international manufacturing resources and significant experience in logistics and product sourcing, we thought we could help these providers fill needs for protective masks on a short-term basis and until supply chains could be relied on."

S°Clean employees served as the couriers for most of the deliveries and the program was supported by several NH-based individual donors, including John Gargasz, an investor and consultant; ? Matt Rightmire, managing director at Borealis s Ventures in Hanover; Jeremy Hitchcock, CEO of Minim in Manchester; Elizabeth Hitchcock, CFO of Minim and owner of Bookery Manchester; Tom Daly, senior VP of infrastructure for Fastly; Matt Pierson, managing director of Dunn Rush & Co. in Boston and a partner in lOXVenture Partners in Manchester; as well as Wilkins.

"I am so proud and thankful for everyone who supported our initiative," Wilkins says.

For more information, visit soclean. com/masksfornh.