Jockey Club donates a further 350,000 masks to the community to help prevent transmission of COVID-19

20/02/2020 22:00

The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced today (21 February 2020) a further donation of 350,000 adult medical masks to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. This follows a previous donation of masks announced on 14 February, bringing the total contribution to 680,000.

In view of the continued shortage of medical masks in the community, the Club will be distributing 350,000 medical masks to two groups of people: 1) frontline staff and carers in outreach services, especially those working for small and non-subvented NGOs, and Residential Child Care Services; 2) vulnerable groups, including residents in sub-divided flats, underprivileged people from ethnic minorities, youth in Residential Child Care Services, singleton and doubleton elderly families, patients with severe illness and mentally challenged persons, financially deprived families, and street sleepers.

This mask donation is in addition to the 80,000 KF-94 masks that have been donated to the Hospital Authority, and the 250,000 children’s medical masks donated to children from underprivileged families, children with special education needs and children from ethnic minorities families that was announced earlier.

Also announced on 14 February were the following measures: a special HK$50 million “COVID-19 Emergency Fund”, which will be utilised to provide emergency grants to NGOs to provide resources and necessary support to local communities; the offer of immediate funding of HK$23 million to NGOs to provide “Care Packs” to homebound elderly and the disabled.  The Care Packs will contain essentials such as non-perishable food, and personal hygiene and household cleansing products.

The Club is committed to helping those most in need in this difficult time for Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2018/19, the Club made a record return to the Government of HK$23.3 billion in duty and profits tax and contributed HK$1.3 billion to the Lotteries Fund. Approved charity and community donations were HK$4.3 billion. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is also one of the world’s top ten charity donors. The Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.