Pittsburgh police, Global Links give out 100,000 free masks in partnership with Trib Total Media

Pittsburgh police and local nonprofit Global Links will end their joint free mask program after giving out more than 100,000 masks — 10 times as many as they started with.

The Need a Mask, Take a Mask program started in May as a way to get lifesaving face masks to those who needed them amid the covid-19 pandemic. The masks were available for free, distributed from newspaper boxes on loan from the Tribune-Review and Post-Gazette at all six police zone stations and two substations.

Trib Total Media President and CEO Jennifer Bertetto said the company was proud to be a part of the project.

“Now more than ever it is important for all of us to come together and by donating our coinboxes, we helped support the health and well-being of our community,” she said, commending the bureau and Global Links for launching the initiative.

Sgt. Tiffany Kline-Costa said Pittsburgh Police jumped at the opportunity to work with Global Links.

“Through this initiative we were able to help play a small part in safeguarding our communities and educating our neighbors about the importance of protective mask use during covid-19,” she said.

Gov. Tom Wolf in April ordered all customers and employees at businesses across the state to wear a mask while inside. Businesses were directed to deny entry to anyone not wearing a mask.

Police said that when the current supply of masks in the newspaper boxes runs out, they will not be restocked.

Wearing a face mask largely protects those around you, experts say. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing cloth face masks in public settings where social distancing is hard to maintain, such as grocery store.