Alumni, Students, and Families from China Donate Equipment

When it became clear that personal protective equipment (PPE) would likely be in short supply in Grinnell, students, their families, and alumni from China stepped up. “As part of the Grinnell community, we feel like we have a responsibility to help people in Grinnell who need medical care,” says Zhenzhong “Jack” Xing ’23, who along with Xinya Yang ’20 spearheaded an effort to donate PPE to the College and community. “In China, we have the ability to buy this kind of protective equipment; we are obliged to do this.”

As of mid-April, Xing, Yang, and 150 others had come together to donate more than 13,000 pieces of PPE. They had also raised more than $10,000 to purchase PPE items.

Sarah Smith, the project lead and the College’s director of outreach programs and events, says the effort has highlighted Grinnellians’ desire to take care of others in need. “It’s been really well received by everyone in the community,” she says. “We are very thankful for the donations.”

To read the full story, visit “Alumni and families from China send thousands of face masks to Grinnell.”