RU student gets COVID masks for homeless through alumni nonprofit

The COVID-19 pandemic may have put many of our hands-on, in-person experiences on hold but college students are still seeking internships to enhance their resumes.

That is how Rutgers University sophomore Percy Tse found Four Oxen, a nonprofit organization founded by three Rutgers grads.

According to Tse, Four Oxen's mission is to "promote and support those who protect and nurture the most vulnerable members of our society."

Keeping that goal in mind, Tse settled on a no-brainer for her required service project: acquiring and distributing face masks to protect the homeless population against the spread of COVID-19.

So far, with Tse's help, Four Oxen has brought in 76,000 surgical masks, and more than half have been sent back out to homeless shelters and other nonprofits across New Jersey and into Philadelphia.

Tse mentioned the Atlantic City and Trenton Rescue Missions and Cape Regional Recovery Center as just a few of the groups that have received masks up to this point.

"The project has been very successful, so we are expanding the scope to other vulnerable populations," Tse said.

And, just as internships themselves are all about networking, Tse said that each of the nonprofits Four Oxen has distributed to are new connections the group had not partnered with before.

She said the effort will continue as need continues in these communities.

"It's an ongoing project, so if anyone could lend support, they could do it through our website," she said.

That website is fouroxen.org. There is also a GoFundMe, which has just exceeded its initial $1,000 goal.

Patrick Lavery is New Jersey 101.5's afternoon news anchor. Follow him on Twitter @plavery1015 or email patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com.