Ronald Kent noticed something while driving through certain areas of Memphis.

It was that the residents in Memphis Housing Authority communities weren’t wearing masks.

“It made sense that if they couldn’t afford food, they couldn’t afford masks,” Kent said.

Kent, his wife, Carolyn, and Jasmine and King Chow are the co-owners of the Chow Time restaurant on Hacks Cross and the China Inn restaurant on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Whitehaven.

“Everybody’s doing something for the restaurant people. People are doing something for the bartenders. But nobody is donating anything for the people who can’t do anything for themselves,” Kent said.

It took some work to source them, he said, but last week Kent, his wife and the Chows delivered 10,000 masks that are being distributed to MHA residents.

“We’re just trying to do something for the less fortunate,” he said.

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis announced that $200,000 from the Mid-South COVID-19 Regional Response Fund has been distributed to 11 organizations. 

Since March 18, $1.5 million has been distributed from the fund, which provides support to organizations impacted by the novel coronavirus. The fund makes grants weekly.

The sixth ground of grants are as follows:

• Agape Child and Family Services: $25,000 to provide emergency assistance to families experiencing hardships as a result of the recent coronavirus outbreak 
• Calvary Episcopal Church: $10,000 to provide clothing, food, and hygiene products to the housing-insecure 
• CasaLuz: $5,000 to provide housing, food, and supplies to victims of domestic/sexual violence in the wake of COVID-19 
• Catholic Charities of West TN: $25,000 to serve 4,000 individuals through its food services program and help connect unhoused people to resources 
• Church Health: $ 25,000 to support COVID-19 testing and associated expenses 
• Christ Community Health Services Inc.: $ 25,000 to support COVID-19 testing and associated expenses 
• Hospitality Hub: $25,000 to work with Community Alliance for the Homeless, Division of Housing and Community Development, and MIFA to provide shelter-in-place, case management, and supportive services to those experiencing homelessness in three locations 
• Memphis Inner City Rugby: $2,500 to provide needed supplies to its 225 families in South City, Westwood, Frayser, Hickory Hill, and Orange Mound 
• Methodist Le Bonheur Community Outreach: $7,500 to help provide high-risk diabetes patients receive the food they need to effectively manage the disease during the outbreak
• MIFA: $25,000 to support emergency services related to COVID-19 outbreak 
• Salvation Army of Memphis and the Mid-South: $25,000 to provide childcare and meals to first responders and healthcare workers.

Individuals, businesses and foundations have donated $2.6 million to the fund. Those interested in learning more about the fund or donating can visit cfgm.org/COVID.