City of Madera Receives PPE Donation from Sister City Yilan in Taiwan

For the past 26 years, the City of Madera has enjoyed multiple cultural exchanges and explored business, trade, and educational opportunities with its sister city Yilan in Taiwan. But a recent donation of much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) demonstrated the strength of the cities’ bond. 

Madera City Manager Arnoldo Rodriguez explains that the city of Yilan initially donated 10,000 masks and 2,000 gloves to its sister city. When officials in Yilan learned about the growing need in Madera, they donated an additional 5,000 masks exclusively for the local hospital.

“We’re blown away by the kindness of our sister city,” said Rodriguez. “We’re incredibly grateful for our relationship with Yilan and thankful to Director General Joseph Ma, and the kind people of Taiwan for their support during these unprecedented times. This generous donation of PPE will go a long way in helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”

“We are very glad that we could do something to help our friends in Madera at this critical moment,” said Joseph Ma, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco. “It’s more important now than ever for us to work hand in hand and help each other. Only through solidarity and mutual assistance can we defeat this ferocious virus.”

Rodriguez said as soon as the city received the PPE donation, they quickly distributed it to community agencies and healthcare providers who are on the front lines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. They also donated PPE to local businesses to help ensure employees and patrons stay safe, as well as to the local elections office so they would have masks on hand for poll workers and voters that turn out in person in November.

Madera city officials distributed the PPE supplies to several organizations including the Madera Community Hospital, Madera Tribune, Madera Unified School District, Madera Chamber of Commerce (to help distribute to local businesses), Quest Diagnostics, Madera Metro, Madera County Food Bank, Central Valley Opportunity Center, Madera Rescue Mission, Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Madera Ministerial Association, Madera County – Clerk’s Office, and the Madera Hispanic Ministerial Association.

Sister city relationships are intended to foster friendship and understanding among different cultures, and encourage trade and tourism, but during the pandemic, sister cities have taken the relationship to a new level.