With the COVID-19 impacting restaurants, hotels, and other small businesses across the state, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) continued their mission to make safety a top priority on Thursday, announcing a partnership to make face masks more readily available to members in the hospitality industry.

Earlier today, FRLA hosted U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, Lieutenant Governor Jeannette Nuñez, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez at Sergio’s Restaurant in Doral to announce a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to distribute nearly one million reusable cloth masks to restaurant and hotel workers across Florida.

“Protecting our employees and guests is our top priority,” said Carlos Gazitua, President of Sergio’s Family Restaurants and Executive Board Member of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “We are incredibly grateful to Surgeon General Jerome Adams and HHS for donating these masks to our workers and to Lieutenant Governor Nuñez and Mayor Gimenez for participating today to bring awareness to these important efforts.”

Thankful for @Surgeon_General‘s donation of nearly 1 million masks to keep restaurant and hotel workers in Florida safe and our businesses open. We are so proud of the partnership with @SergiosCuban and @HHSGov.

We had a great event today with @LtGovNunez and @MayorGimenez. https://t.co/m7bewctE2m

— FL Restaurant & Lodging Association (@FRLAnews) July 23, 2020

“FRLA is so proud to partner with the HHS and the Surgeon General to distribute these masks to our great hospitality team members across Florida,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “I want to acknowledge Carlos Gazitua for his efforts to coordinate this critical partnership and thank Lt. Governor Nuñez, Governor DeSantis, and Mayor Gimenez for their leadership and efforts to keep our state and our businesses operating safely.”

As a follow-up to the event today, masks will be distributed regionally across the state. Distribution event dates and locations are forthcoming.