BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – The most urban areas of the region have the most number of confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Erie County is approaching 1,500 coronavirus cases as of Friday morning. Within the county, the City of Buffalo has more than one-third of the cases. Of the more than 550 cases in the city, more than 100 are isolated in the 14215 zip code, which represents Buffalo's East Side.
To combat the spread of COVID-19, Eight Days of Hope, a volunteer organization with the goal of helping local communities and has a satellite office in that zip code, is hosting a mask drive on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to supply a mask to the highly impacted community.
The drive is being held in the parking lot next to their offices at 852 Kensington Avenue while also adhering to social distancing guidelines.
"We'll be providing free surgical masks for everyone in a very safe manner," Stephen Tybor, President and CEO, said. "They'll drive in a drive-thru lane, pop open their trunk, we'll pop some masks in their trunk, and off they'll go."
"We all need to do our part," Tybor said. "This is a great time for the City of good Neighbors to utilize some of these masks not only for their protection but for the protection of others as well."
Tybor said they are aware that some people will attend the drive thru to obtain a mask and do not live in the zip code. He also acknowledged that some people will likely do it twice. However, he said their goal is not to judge anyone.
"We're here to love people and allow them to obtain some of these masks at no charge so they're not spending $10 for a mask online and waiting two weeks. They'll have protection (Saturday) as they drive through…We know it's not a perfect setup…but this zip code outside of New York City is the most infected in all of New York State and, I think, across the country."
