MGA Entertainment (MGAE) is mounting an effort to supply much-needed medical supplies to facilities fighting the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19.
“Operation: Pac-Man” is an initiative intended to bring supporters together in an effort to pool resources to get hospitals and healthcare workers stocked with masks and other supplies that are needed to protect workers.
MGAE Founder and CEO Isaac Larian put together an initial plan of action that will immediately focus priority on supplying facilities in COVID-19 hotspots including California, New York, and Washington. The effort kicked off with a $100,000 donation to UCLA Medical Center, and the sourcing of 2 million masks from an overseas factory. Approximately 25,000 masks have already been secured and will arrive in the U.S. this week. The first shipment will be distributed between three hospitals in Southern California: City of Hope, Cedars-Sinai, and UCLA.
Through the support of flexport.org, an additional 150,000 units of medical supplies procured by MGAE will be airlifted for free to ensure arrival this week.
“This is not an industry issue or a government issue any longer — at this point, all of humankind needs to work together to fix the shortage that hospitals are facing, and I believe this issue can best be resolved by entrepreneurs,” Larian says. “The fact that hospitals and hospital workers are lacking basic necessities to safely continue their treatment of patients is tragic. It is preposterous that we are in this position and now it’s up to everyone to work together.”
Through the support of Flexport, an additional 150,000 units of medical supplies procured by MGAE will be airlifted for free to ensure arrival this week.
“I’m very grateful to Susy Schöneberg, head of flexport.org, for her heroic act,” Larian adds. “It takes selfless leaders like Susy to make a difference in these tough times.”
MGAE is in the process of retooling its Little Tikes factory in Hudson, Ohio to manufacture medical supplies in the U.S. Additionally, MGAE’s 15 3D printers are available to any hospital that may need them.
Later this week, MGAE will launch an online portal with more information on “Operation: Pac-Man” and how to support the effort or request supplies.
