Teacher and children with face mask back at school after covid-19 quarantine and lockdown.

Cintas Corporation announced Monday that it has collaborated with Adopt A Class to donate more than 100,000 items of essential supplies, including face masks, thermometers and hand sanitizer to local high-poverty schools. The donated items will help the schools’ faculty and staff with COVID-19 protection and containment as they prepare for the school year.

 “As teachers and students return to the classroom, we recognize that many schools will be faced with the challenge of providing enough essential items like face masks for students, staff, parents and visitors,” says Mark Carter, president and chief operating officer of Cintas’ First Aid and Safety division. “We are proud to support local schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic by providing much needed supplies to help create a healthy and safe environment.”

Adopt A Class connects local businesses and civic groups with students in economically challenged schools. By pairing teams with individual classrooms, adult mentors expose students to a breadth of experiences and training to be job and career ready. Since 2017, Cintas employee-partners in Cincinnati have volunteered with Adopt A Class to provide one hour, once a month mentoring to students in the program.

“We’re grateful for Cintas’ support to help us create a safe environment as we reopen our schools and offices,” says Sonya Fultz, chief executive offficer, Adopt A Class. “These critical supplies, combined with basic safety precautions, such as regular hand-washing, gloves and social distancing, will help protect our teachers, students, and their families when they return to school.”