WOODLAWN — Dr. Willie Wilson, who has already donated 2 million masks in the area, is making his largest humanitarian gift yet with 5 million masks to be given out at three South and West Side churches Saturday.
Wilson, a former mayoral candidate, owns a health care supply company. He already gave each alderman in the city 20,000 masks for them to distribute in their wards. Now he’s partnering with some of Chicago’s largest churches to get the new batch of 5 million masks on the faces of Chicagoans in need.
All three events will be held Saturday. Here are the details:
• 8 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 2622 W. Jackson Boulevard.
• 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester Ave.
• 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of House of Hope, 752 E. 114th St.
“This is personal to me, I have lost nine ministers and friends to COVID-19,” Wilson said in a statement. “It is well-documented that there is a shortage of face masks and other personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and the general public.
“I am moved by compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to step up and make this donation to help my neighbors in Chicago and throughout Illinois.”
Wilson thanked the pastors of the three churches — the Rev. Johnny Miller at Mt. Vernon, the Rev. Byron Brazier at Apostolic Church of God and the Rev. James Meeks at House of Hope — as well as their volunteers for helping distribute the masks.
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