SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) — Performance eye protection has been a focus of 100% with its lines of sunglasses and goggles.
Until two weeks ago.
Now the focus is clearly necessary eye protection.
100% announced Tuesday it donated a shipment of eyewear to a Los Angeles organization serving firefighters and emergency medical personnel for distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. 100% is preparing more eyewear for front-line personnel in New York City, Denver, San Diego, Oceanside, California, Carlsbad, California, Phoenix and Louisville.
This comes at a time when Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, is emphasizing that Americans should avoid touching their eyes, which masks don't protect from exposure.
“It started with a few of our employees getting calls from friends and family members requesting protective eyewear,” said 100% CEO Ludo Boinnard, “What these brave men and women are doing to protect all of us is truly heroic, and we’re honored to be able to contribute to keeping them safe.”
More than 1,000 pairs of eyewear, all with clear lens installed but also including the sun lens, have been donated with 500 more pairs being repurposed, Boinnard said. Also, a portion of all online sales will be donated to the CDC Foundation and those battling COVID-19.
"We're taking a larger inventory of wrap Active lifestyle sunglasses, having clear lenses manufactured for it quickly, so they can be PPE," Boinnard said.
Boinnard said his company has started allocating about 1,000 goggles to New York hospitals and others through the grassroots snow industry initiative Goggles for Docs. Fox Racing eyewear and Smith Optics also are part of the program.
"Glad to see the industry getting on with it," he said.
With the country struggling to get necessary personal protective equipment to first-responders and medical staff, Boinnard feels the need to help any way he can, noting he saw some hospitals so desperate for PPE, they were using promotional rain ponchos.
"We have raincoats in stock, so if this is also needed, we will provide those as well," he said.
