ExxonMobil Says Thanks to Houston-Area COVID-19 Responders with Meals and Masks

ExxonMobil is providing thousands of meals and medical face masks for Houston-area health care workers, police officers and firefighters responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a new initiative that brings total contributions for Houston-area relief to $450,000.

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ExxonMobil staff helps prepare meals at the Texas Medical Center. (Photo: Business Wire)

“We want to thank those teams and individuals working around the clock to look after the people of the greater Houston area,” said Linda DuCharme, president of ExxonMobil Upstream Integrated Solutions. “In addition to supporting health care workers and first responders, we also want to help out area restaurants and their employees who’ve been hard hit by the pandemic.”

ExxonMobil is contributing $100,000 for personal protective equipment such as medical masks to Texas Medical Center member hospitals, the Houston Police Foundation, the Fire Fighters Foundation of Houston and the Spring Fire Department.

Another $100,000 will go to the TX Restaurant Relief Fund for the preparation and delivery of approximately 6,000 meals for frontline workers at these organizations.

Prominent Houston chefs will participate in the effort that will enable participating restaurants to bring needed work to furloughed staff.

The Texas Restaurant Association’s nonprofit arm established the TX Restaurant Relief Fund last month to provide immediate financial support to the state’s independent restaurateurs and their employees who have been heavily impacted by the loss of business due to COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on restaurants, a critical part of Texas’ food supply chain,” said Dr. Emily Williams Knight, president and chief executive officer of the Texas Restaurant Association and Education Foundation.

“In every crisis, restaurants are often the first to help feed the front line, including hospital staff and first responders. We are incredibly grateful to ExxonMobil for this grant, which both supports Houston restaurants, their employees, and enables them to feed frontline responders during this unprecedented time.

“Through this initiative, participating restaurants will be able to hire back up to 50 percent of their furloughed employees. This donation demonstrates that by working together we can keep the heartbeat of our communities – food and medicine – in service for all,” said Knight.

The support comes in addition to its recent contribution of $250,000 to the Houston Food Bank and Montgomery County Food Bank to provide about one million meals to Houston-area residents.

“Houston is a foodie town, and our restaurants reflect the city's diverse culinary tastes and vibrant culture. The COVID-19 public health crisis is having a devastating effect on the men and women who work in the foodservice industry,” said Sylvester Turner, mayor of the City of Houston. “I applaud ExxonMobil for its generous donation to assist restaurants and to feed first responders.

“I also want to encourage the public to support local restaurants through delivery and curbside takeout. If we work together, we will get through this challenging time and continue to be Houston Strong,” said Turner.

“The Texas Medical Center has been overwhelmed with the level of generosity demonstrated by entities and individuals alike during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said William F. McKeon, president and chief executive officer of Texas Medical Center. “The entire Texas Medical Center network thanks ExxonMobil for implementing a donation program that will not only benefit the essential healthcare workers and first responders who are saving lives on the frontlines during this pandemic but also supports the local restaurant industry, which has and will continue to be a critical part of what makes Houston such a special place.”

ExxonMobil, which has about 11,000 employees living and working the greater Houston area, remains focused on keeping its workforce safe and healthy to maintain its operations and maximize production of materials critical to the global response.

The company is the leading U.S. producer of isopropyl alcohol, which is used to manufacture hand sanitizer, and also produces polypropylene, which is used to make protective gowns and masks.

ExxonMobil is also working with the Global Center for Medical Innovation to design and support the manufacturing of reusable shields and masks for health care workers.

About ExxonMobil

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), one of the largest publicly traded international energy company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing energy needs. ExxonMobil engages in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, with a focus on math and science in the United States, promote women as catalysts for economic development, and combat malaria. In 2018, together with its employees and retirees, ExxonMobil, its divisions and affiliates, and the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $211 million in contributions worldwide. To learn more, visit exxonmobil.com and the Energy Factor.

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