Durango, Colo. — (June 29, 2020) — The Southwest Colorado Disaster Assistance (SWCODA) and the La Plata County Economic Recovery Task Force (LPCERTF) announce a new online e-commerce platform for local businesses and individuals to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) to help keep the communities of Southwest Colorado safe.

The online store, hosted on SWCODA.org at https://www.swcoda.org/ppe-supplies, was created in response to the national shortage of PPE, especially masks and hand sanitizer, that is required by businesses to open safely and responsibly. Orders are made in advance online and then orders are required to be picked up at the Durango Chamber of Commerce.

SWCODA.org and the La Plata Economic Recovery Task Force worked local manufacturers to leverage relationship to secure a large supply of PPE . Through their connections SWCODA.org was able to purchase a large quantity of masks and half gallon bottles of hand sanitizer to offer the best price possible.

Orders are to be made online at https://www.swcoda.org/ppe-supplies and picked up at The Durango Chamber of Commerce on Fridays from 9am-1pm, until supplies last.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.swcoda.org/ppe-supplies

About SWCODA: The mission of SWCODA is to share resources and raise awareness during times of crisis and emergency situations and help residents and businesses based in Southwest Colorado - La Plata, San Juan, Archuleta, Montezuma and Dolores counties. SWCODA is a community effort of the  Community Foundation’s Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). Please visit www.swcoda.org to learn more.

About La Plata County Economic Recovery Task Force: Motivated by the vitality of La Plata County’s local economy, the group is comprised of leaders from business, nonprofit and civic organizations from the region working in collaboration during the COVID-19 outbreak with immediate response, assistance and future recovery resources. The Task Force is represented and supported by a wide range of public, private, and non-profit organizations who are united in their work to contribute to the betterment of Southwest Colorado. The Task Force is organized into sub-committees focused on specific sectors of the regional economy: Tourism, Service Industry, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Education, Health, Nonprofit, Development and Entrepreneur. Please visit www.swcoda.org/la-plata-county-economic-recovery-task-force to learn more.