LA sisters donate 2,000 medical-grade masks to hospitals in need

BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Among the many people across Southern California who are stepping up to help those in need during the pandemic are two Los Angeles sisters, Taylor Jackson, 16, and Jordyn Jackson, 10.

The sisters are working to make a difference with medical-grade mask donations.

"I have a personal connection because when I was 12 I had heart surgery," Taylor Jackson said. "And I'm just so thankful for the doctors and everyone who took care of me and got me healthy again. And I want to be able to give back."

The Jacksons are on a mission to make sure frontline workers in their community have masks and they have donated to different hospitals, including Keck Medical Center of USC in Boyle Heights.

"We're in desperate need for every kind of mask so we can protect our patients and our staff," said Tamara Murphy, the associate administrator for the supply chain at Keck Medicine of USC. "Donations like this are very important to us."

The sisters can do the donations through the charity they run called Soaring Samaritans Youth Movement.

They've raised money to purchase and donate more than 2,000 medical masks to different hospitals across Los Angeles County, according to the Jacksons.

"I didn't think we were gonna be able to make that big of an impact. I thought it was gonna be a little bit smaller," said Taylor Jackson. "So, it's great to see how much we've helped."

Their mission to help others started more than six years ago when they created their charity to help children in need.

Due to the pandemic, their need to help others has shifted and are accepting donations so they can continue donating masks to hospitals in need.

"We wanted to give back to the community because we live in a great community in Los Angeles where serving others is in our D.N.A.," said Jordyn Jackson.

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