ROSWELL, Ga., May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Professional today announced a donation of over 1 million face masks and cleaning products to school districts across the country. The donation, consisting of Kimberly-Clark Professional™ General Purpose Face Masks, Scott® 24 Wipes and Scott® Gel Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers, will support over 235,000 K-12 students, faculty and administrators in nearly 400 schools across 15 states where Kimberly-Clark employees live and work, including locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin, among others.

"We know that many schools across the country are still in need of proper supplies to help protect students and faculty as they work to finish the school year strong," said Susan Gambardella, President, Kimberly-Clark Professional North America.

Operating schools safely during the pandemic requires additional resources. According to a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), school districts on average must invest an additional $55 to $442 per student to ensure they can reopen in the safest possible manner.

"In these times where towns are working to do more with less resources, this donation from Kimberly-Clark Professional helps support our students and school staff and will help allow us to get back fully to normal school operations more quickly," said John Barile, Superintendent of Schools, Brookfield, Conn. 

This donation comes as schools are evaluating not just their year-end protocols, but how they will address learning in the fall.

While requirements in public and private spaces vary by state, the CDC continues to recommend the consistent and correct use of masks, hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection to help ensure the safe delivery of in-person instruction in schools. These guidelines are all part of the CDC's 'Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention.'

"Care underlies everything we do at Kimberly-Clark Professional, and we are proud to care for the communities where we operate and help assist the school districts where our employees live and work as they prepare for the upcoming school year," said Gambardella.

Kimberly-Clark Professional has continued to care for and support our communities by operating as an essential business throughout the pandemic. The company launched a new standalone global PPE business unit, including new manufacturing of 100% made in the USA industrial N95 respirators, approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH), to support critical infrastructure workers.

Additionally, Kimberly-Clark is committing $2.5 million to COVID-19 relief efforts in India, including support to UNICEF of $2.2 million, to help secure critical medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators and the setting up of oxygen generation plants. These actions extend Kimberly-Clark's commitments last year to assist with COVID-19 response and relief efforts around the world by partners including UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the American Red Cross, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

About Kimberly-Clark Professional

Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces – healthier, safer and more productive. We are committed to making a positive impact on people and how their work gets done through our world-class portfolio of trusted, recognized brands such as Kleenex®, Scott®, WypAll®, Kimtech™ and KleenGuard™, industry-leading expertise, breakthrough innovation and being responsible partners in sustainability. To see how we enable businesses and people around the world to move forward and thrive, please visit KCProfessional.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional