CARING: Staff from the Tralee branch of Penneys pictured putting together the care packs for frontline staff and patients in University hospital Kerry.

Penneys is donating 6,000 care packs filled with over 45,000 products including leggings, t-shirts, underwear, socks, and pyjama sets for HSE frontline workers and patients in several hospitals across Ireland, boxed and delivered by Penneys volunteers.

In Kerry, volunteers at the Penneys store in Tralee packaged over 200 care packs for donation to University Hospital Kerry (UHK).

The HSE donation forms just one part of a global volunteer effort by hundreds of Primark employees to support those at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. Primark care packs containing more than 400,000 products will be delivered to frontline workers, volunteers and patients in cities and towns around the world where Primark has stores.

The move by Penneys responds to calls from health authorities and charities for urgent supplies of everyday items. Penneys care packs will be given to busy staff working back to back shifts or who are staying away from home, often to protect their families from infection. They will also be offered to patients who have no means of getting a fresh change of clothes or toiletries from home.

Care packs have so far have been distributed to 21 hospitals in Ireland including The Mater Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, Sligo University Hospital, Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Naas General Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, as well as patients at the Citywest facility which was set up at Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre to treat people with COVID-19. In addition to the 45,000 everyday items donated in Ireland, Penneys distributed over 20,000 Easter food products to Focus Ireland over the Easter weekend.

“We are proud to be donating much-needed everyday items to show our support for those working tirelessly in the fight against COVID-19,” Michael McCarthy, Area Manager, Penneys, said.

“I want to thank all my colleagues in Penneys Tralee who have played their part by volunteering to pack, coordinate and deliver these care packs to help the healthcare workers and patients at University Hospital Kerry.”