(AllHipHop News) The current coronavirus pandemic is affecting all aspects of American society including incarcerated individuals. Meek Mill and Michael Rubin’s REFORM Alliance is working to help protect people in jails and prisons across the country.
REFORM Alliance announced that it has now partnered with Madonna’s Ray of Light Foundation and Cash Warren’s Pair of Thieves as well as The Bail Project, The Dosberg Fund, Operation LIPSTICK, and #cut50 to send an additional 100,000 surgical masks to select correctional facilities.
“More than 2 million lives in prisons across America are currently at stake due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says REFORM co-chair Michael Rubin. “It’s absolutely crucial that we protect our inmates and prison staff, especially since social distancing guidelines are difficult to abide by in these facilities.”
Rubin continues, “REFORM remains committed to protecting one of our nation’s most vulnerable populations, many of whom are currently incarcerated for technical probation violations (not committing a crime), and we’re grateful for the support of our partners in this endeavor.”
50,000 masks will be delivered to the Cook County Jail and the Illinois Department of Corrections. Plus, 20,000 masks will be delivered to the Louisiana Department of Corrections. The remaining 30,000 masks will be distributed between Vacaville Prison in California, FCI Ray Brook in New York, and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department in Massachusetts.
“Helping others has always been part of our DNA at Pair of Thieves,” said Pair of Thieves founder Cash Warren. “So when the team from REFORM outlined how quickly COVID-19 has spread amongst the incarcerated and those who work in and around prisons, we knew we had to help.”
This latest 100,000 shipment of surgical masks is the REFORM’s second such donation this year. Last month, the criminal justice reform organization sent over 100,000 masks to Rikers Island, the Tennessee Department of Corrections, and the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi.
“Our response to this crisis will be judged by how we protect our most vulnerable citizens,” says REFORM co-founder Michael Novogratz. “That includes those who are incarcerated, their lives matter too, and we need to start acting like it.”
REFORM Alliance’s founding partners include Philadephia emcee Meek Mill; Philadelphia 76ers partner/Fanatics Executive Chairman Michael Rubin, Hip Hop mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Kraft Group CEP/New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Brooklyn Nets co-owner Clara Wu Tsai, Third Point LLC CEO/founder Daniel S. Loeb, Galaxy Digital CEO/founder Michael E. Novogratz, Vista Equity Partners founder/chairman/CEO Robert F. Smith, and Arnold Ventures co-founder Laura Arnold. CNN host, author, and activist Van Jones serves as the organization’s CEO.