Mayo Event Center to become hub for PPE donations

(Mankato, MN) – The Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center is set to become Mankato’s hub for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Starting Monday, the event center will begin collecting PPE from the community, which will be sanitized and re-packaged for distribution to healthcare facilities, front-line volunteers, public safety, and other essential workers.

PPE includes gowns, gloves, and masks, and other supplies.

The idea came during an ongoing collaboration between multiple community organizations, including Greater Mankato Area United Way, the Disabled Veterans of Minnesota Lyle C. Pearson Chapter 10, Blue Earth County, Greater Mankato Growth, MSU, Mayo Clinic, and the City of Mankato.

Brian Sather, co-director of the MCHS Event Center, said they realized there was an opportunity to help during discussions with the partners. “The event center has access to supply chain for hard-to-purchase materials, storage space, and equipment needed to help collect, sanitize, manage and distribute PPE being produced through grassroots community efforts,” said Sather.

The event center will begin taking donations at 9 a.m. Monday, April 13. Direct donations to facilities accepting masks are still encouraged, but if a facility doesn’t need PPE, the event center will take the donation for staff to provide to others.

Civic center drop off locations:

- Community members are asked to place PPEs in green Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota dropboxes in front of the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center lobby doors.

- Businesses or individuals with large deliveries may bring Mondays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Call 311 or 507-387-8600 to schedule an appointment. Please use Walnut Street to access the event center’s loading dock area. Signage will help direct where to place.