Graduation Source Donates 1,500 Gowns to Support Healthcare Workers
A supply of donated Gowns4Good fills a table at a medical facility in need of PPE in Massachusetts.
Photo courtesy of Michele Anstett.
Burlington, VT. May 5, 2020. Gowns4Good is pleased to announce a corporate partnership with GraduationSource, the leading manufacturer for graduation caps, gowns, academic regalia for all graduate levels.
In an effort to help Gowns4Good’s mission to protect healthcare workers by upcycling graduation gowns, GraduationSource has donated 1,500 gowns to provide urgently needed personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect our country’s medical staff.
Due to this pandemic, 2020 will forever be marked as the year millions of grads won’t be able to assemble to mark their achievements and say their farewells. Commencement ceremonies have been postponed or canceled in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines developed by the CDC. As a result, there will be many gowns that will go unused.
GraduationSource CEO, Matthew Gordon, partnered with Gowns4Good after learning about it from founder Than Moore, an ER physician assistant at the University of Vermont Medical Center. After hearing about PPE shortages so desperate that colleagues were wearing household items like trash bags in order to protect themselves, Moore had the idea to create Gowns4Good.
According to Gordon, “This partnership was a really natural fit. We have a large supply of gowns and Gowns4Good has the means to distribute them to the healthcare industry. We are honored to be able to supply PPE to all of the brave healthcare workers working on the front lines during this pandemic.”
“Although efforts are being made to increase PPE production, worldwide demand is increasing more quickly than production. Compared to trash bags or other alternative forms of PPE, graduation gowns are more effective given their length, sleeves, and easy zippered access,” said Moore.
Gordon added, “We hope that many of our past customers will follow suit and consider sending their old gowns. We also hope graduates who may be having virtual graduations this year will also consider donating their gowns. We really feel that this is an invaluable opportunity to honor a student’s achievement while providing much needed gear to our healthcare heroes.”
To donate gowns, please visit gowns4good.net/donate-gowns. You can also support Gowns4Good by making a contribution to offset shipping costs.
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Gowns4Good is working to protect healthcare workers on the front lines of COVID-19 by upcycling graduation gowns. Founded by a physician assistant and a few friends, Gowns4Good facilitates the donation of graduation gowns to medical providers who need alternative personal protective equipment (PPE). Whether your graduation gown is collecting dust in the back of your closet, or is no longer needed for a 2020 commencement, you can protect a healthcare worker by donating a graduation gown today.
Since 1960, GraduationSource has established a full line of graduation regalia, ranging from Preschool and Kindergarten gowns all the way to bachelor’s and doctorate hoods. Whether an institution is hosting a traditional cap and gown ceremony, or if it requires cords and medals to honor students of Salutatorian and Valedictorian merit, we are proud to provide the appropriate regalia and accessories to have a memorable graduation. GraduationSource also provides full capabilities to develop custom products such as imprinted stoles and diploma covers at unmatched prices. No event or function is too large or too small for our dedicated staff to tackle.