PORT ORANGE, Fla. — Volusia County launched a $1 million effort Monday to help businesses reopen safely.
Business owners lined up early Monday morning to pick up free personal protective equipment as Volusia County residents settled into the idea of mask requirements in more cities.
Volusia County is using CARES Act money to give back to the community, specifically giving masks, sanitizers, gloves and other products.
Read: Coronavirus: Where COVID-19 testing is available in Central Florida
Monday’s event in Port Orange is the first of five different distributions that will happen each day this week throughout the county.
The county bought in bulk quantities of PPE to help local chambers of commerce assemble 7,000 supply kits.
The PPE distribution comes as the county gets tougher on mask-wearing, and some cities such as DeLand are threatening fines for not wearing masks in public.
Read: Central Florida businesses crack down on face mask mandate
“It needs to happen. I feel like as residents in Volusia County we have been care-free with that,” said Daytona Beach resident Jerry Branton. “So it needs to be mandatory. It needs to happen.”
And mask mandates are happening in more and more municipalities.
Orange City will take up the issue Monday night while Deltona will discuss it Tuesday.
Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Ormand Beach and DeLand already have mask mandates in place.
PPE kits can be distributed at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
• July 7 - Daytona Regional Chamber, 126 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach
• July 8 - 115 Canal St., New Smyrna Beach
• July 9 - Ormond Performing Arts Center, 339 U.S. 1, Ormond Beach
• July 9 - The Center at Deltona, 1640 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd., Deltona
• July 10 - Wayne G. Sanborn Activity & Events Center, 815 S. Alabama Ave., Deland
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