On October 26, 2020, Mayor W. Reed Gusciora met with Dr. Jing Yang, Global Lead of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Pan Asian Network – a Bristol Myers Squibb People & Business Resource Group, at Trenton’s Perry Street Department of Fire & Emergency Services to receive a generous donation of 4,000 masks from Bristol Myers Squibb to support the City of Trenton during the pandemic.
“These masks really help, not only with the first responders, but with nursing homes, seniors in towers, and non-profits like the Rescue Mission, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and others,” said Mayor Gusciora.
Joining Mayor Gusciora and Dr. Yang at Trenton Fire Headquarters were Grady Griffin, Director of Emergency Management, Christopher Maziarz, Director of Fire and Emergency Services and other City of Trenton officials, along with Bristol Myers Squibb Community Affairs Director Chris Baggett, Greater Trenton CEO George Sowa and Greater Trenton Vice President Bryan Evans.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the communities where we live and work, we are inspired by the efforts of our first responders who are working tirelessly on the front lines to care for our neighbors in need,” said Dr. Yang “And these masks are a small gesture of our appreciation for their great efforts to help those in our community who have been most affected by the pandemic.”
As background, the Bristol Myers Squibb Pan Asian Network is one of eight Bristol Myers Squibb People & Business Resource Groups that are committed to sustaining a culture of diversity and inclusion at Bristol Myers Squibb. Open to the entire global workforce, these groups focus on the global diversity and inclusion priorities of workforce, workplace and marketplace to drive business results and foster a culture of inclusion, strong employee engagement, and higher levels of productivity. They also provide opportunities for networking and continued professional growth and development.
Bristol Myers Squibb’s generous mask donation was inspired by another story published in TrentonDaily, featuring an act of kindness. In August 2020, Valentina Funari Ferri, the 12-year-old daughter of Greater Trenton Board Member and Bristol Myers Squibb Global Lead for the Organization for Latino Achievement Leticia Ferri, along with her friends: 12-year-old Olivia Trochu and 13-year-old Luisa Buss, donated more than 1,500 masks to the City of Trenton.
As one story inspires another, inclusion, working together, and appreciating others, has become increasingly important in today’s environment. These stories should inspire us all.
