The shortage of protective gear in hospitals in New York caused many medical professionals to go through a difficult time when COVID-19 hit New York earlier this year. According to an article in the New York Times by Andrew Jacobs, Matt Richtel, and Mike Baker, one hospital was even considering shutting down because of the lack of face masks.   Another article by CBS News titled “Sick doctors, nurses and not enough equipment: NYC health care workers on the fight against the coronavirus” reveals the difficult situation for medical workers in New York.

Many Chinese American medical workers in the New York area faced the same issue. Because of this, they began to share their struggles through WeChat, a social media platform used among many Chinese people in the US. In a post by the Association of Chinese American Physicians (ACAP) in the New York area, they asked the Chinese community in the US to support their effort to donate medical supplies to many hospitals in the New York area.

Translation Boulevard is deeply committed to helping surrounding communities, and we participated in this drive. Sean Song, CEO of Translation Boulevard and President of the Non-profit organization Jairus Bible World, led these two organizations to raise funds to donate to this cause. Translation Boulevard donated $635 to make the total donation about $3000 when combined with the donation from Jairus Bible World.

Ruliang Xu, MD, President of the Association of Chinese American Physicians (ACAP) said in a letter to Translation Boulevard,

“Thank you for your generous donation to the Association of Chinese American Physicians (ACAP)’s COVID-19 Response Efforts to fight Coronavirus outbreak. Your donation will help us to purchase necessary medical supplies for hospitals and provide much needed protection for healthcare professionals and patients. We are truly grateful for your timely and kindhearted donation.”

According to a report released by ACAP on March 31, 2020, they had raised 13,1670.32 dollars by that date, and they had donated various medical supplies to The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Queens, Flushing Hospital Hospital Medical Center, and many other hospitals.

Sean Song states he believes the social responsibility of a business is vital to society. He says,  “Translation Boulevard is still a small business, so what we can do is limited. But we are committed to doing more if our business grows.” It is a difficult time for business owners during this Covid-19 pandemic, but he believes there will be a strong rebound in the economy after this. He believes there is hope for small and minority business owners and wants to encourage others to stay strong during these difficult times.