Hong Kong business tycoon Adrian Cheng announced that his family’s company, New World Development, would be distributing millions of free face masks to the needy through 35 city-wide vending machines, starting at the end of the month.
Cheng announced the initiative on his Instagram yesterday. “All of our four local production lines will be coming online starting this month, and we will donate 10 MILLION masks in priority to eight NGOs across the city through a “Mask To Go” distribution program,” Cheng wrote.
The machines will be installed at designated NGOs across all 18 districts over the next few weeks. To eliminate queuing, the machines can only be activated by a pre-registered smart redemption card or unique QR code. Distribution will be overseen by the eight following NGOs: Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service, Lutheran Church, Society for Community Organization, St. James’ Settlement, The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association, The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, and The Salvation Army.
In January, NWD’s charitable foundation donated HKD10 million to set up a “community anti-epidemic fund” distributing masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes to low-income families. Cheng later invested a further HKD10 million in Master Dynamic Limited, a local material analysis and nanotechnology company, to fund the company’s research and development of antibacterial and antiviral material.
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