On Thursday, May 7, a group of Shady Side Academy student volunteers joined SSA President Bart Griffith '93 and parent Lance Ruttenberg '86 in helping to unload a shipment of personal protective equipment (PPE) that arrived in Pittsburgh by plane.

The shipment included thousands of reusable cloth face masks that were produced in the El Salvador factory of American Textile Co., a manufacturing company headquartered in Duquesne, Pa., of which Ruttenberg is the CEO.

The student volunteers included senior Alison Linares Mendoza, junior Bruce David, sophomores Ariella Avigad and Karen Linares Mendoza, freshmen Maya Leyzarovich and Elle Ruttenberg, seventh grader Reese Ruttenberg and fourth grader Brooklyn Ruttenberg.

The PPE delivery was part of a collaborative effort by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Global Links and American Textile. Read more about the collaboration in NEXTPittsburgh.com.

Thanks to the SSA volunteers for their help in getting PPE to our local health care workers battling COVID-19!