The Wisconsin Health Care Association and Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living (WHCA/WiCAL) announced the support of NBA legend and former Milwaukee Bucks player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his management company, Iconomy, LLC, in creating a partnership between WHCA/WiCAL and Magid Glove & Safety Manufacturing Company LLC.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s father spent his last living days in a nursing home, so when he saw a story on CNN about how desperate the retirement care community was to obtain protective gear to properly care for the elderly, it broke his heart. Abdul-Jabbar’s manager, Deborah Morales, CEO of Iconomy, immediately reached out to John Vander Meer, president and CEO of Wisconsin Health Care Association and Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living, to find out specifically what was needed and to offer assistance. Abdul-Jabbar had previously purchased thousands of pairs of safety goggles from Magid, an Illinois based company, which he donated to Scripps and UCLA hospitals in April of this year. It made sense to connect the two companies since they were located so close to one another.
“Getting PPE to our heroes working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic is a top priority,” said John Vander Meer, president and CEO of WHCA/WiCAL. “On behalf of Wisconsin’s long-term care providers, I would like to thank Kareem for his support of Wisconsin’s long-term heroes on the frontlines, and to the Magid team for helping provide critically needed PPE to caregivers who are serving Wisconsin’s frail, older adults and citizens with an intellectual or development disability.”
“As a manufacturer and distributor of PPE for the industrial sector, it has always been our mission to help keep people safe. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, that purpose has come to include healthcare workers and their vulnerable patients. Philanthropists like Mr. Abdul-Jabbar give us all hope in difficult times, and we’re excited to be a part of his efforts, both now and in the future,” said Greg Cohen, CEO of Magid.
Abdul-Jabbar also provided a video message to long-term care providers to thank caregivers for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
