City business owners with 25 or fewer employees will soon be able to get kits full of personal protective equipment for free.
The Denver City Council on Monday approved an agreement with Parker-based OraLabs that will hand over nearly $1.5 million in federal emergency money in exchange for more than 4,000 kits.
Each package includes:
- 5 gallons of hand sanitizer
- 1 gallon of surface disinfectant
- 200 pairs of gloves
- 100 surgical masks
- 1 non-contact thermometer
- 10 face shields
The application is not online yet, but soon business owners will be able to fill go to denvergov.org and apply using materials in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
The city council approved the program by a vote of 11 to 1 with Councilman Chris Hinds voting no and Councilwoman Debbie Ortega absent. Hinds said he voted against the resolution because the city seemed more interested in propping up businesses than people experiencing poverty and first responders like police officers, firefighters and healthcare workers, who he believes are still short on equipment.
"In general, while I'm supportive of our most vulnerable businesses and nonprofits, I'm also supportive about our most vulnerable people, too," Hinds said.
