About a week before the new school year began in Mundelein, Jewel-Osco made a significant donation of face masks and hand sanitizer to School Districts 75 and 120.

The retailer presented school officials with 3,400 face masks and 1,100 bottles of hand sanitizer. The donation was facilitated by Dr. Yara Lucht, the Osco Pharmacy Manager who also happens to be a Mundelein resident and District 75 parent.

The timing was good because Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker had just mandated masks for all students and staff in schools. The gift was significant not only because of the number of masks donated, but because many of them are child-sized masks which are more difficult to find.

“It was perfect timing,” said Kevin Quinn, Director of Facilities for District 120. “We had students coming back in for orientation and other activities and we went through several hundred masks. It helped us replenish our inventories. It was very beneficial.”

Quinn said both districts were fully prepared with enough masks and sanitizer to get the school year started, but it always helps to have more, especially in regards to children’s masks. There were not nearly as many children-sized masks produced compared to adult masks, so they are more difficult to find, Quinn said.

It wasn’t the first time Lucht and Jewel-Osco had stepped up to help the local schools. In May, she helped facilitate a local vaccination event.

The masks and hand sanitizer will be shared between the two school districts.