The Permian Basin’s Chinese American community is stepping up in a big way to help protect nurses and doctors.

Weeks after their community was targeted by a hate crime, the Chinese Americans in Midland-Odessa are responding with nothing but love.

“And this is a historical, critical moment of the nation,” Midland-Odessa Chinese Association President Luke Young said. “Probably of entire mankind. So we don’t want to be left behind. We want to be here to help.”

And they are—a lot.

The Midland-Odessa Chinese Association banded together to raise more than $5,000 so they could donate these shipments of medical supplies to nurses in both cities.

In those boxes are more than 5,000 masks and more than 600 pairs of gloves.

They’re are valuable commodities right now as the coronavirus continues to threaten the Permian Basin and push hospitals to look for these much-needed materials wherever they can find them.

“Well take any and everything you’ve got because we don’t how long this will go on so bring it on,” MCH CEO Russell Tippin said in a press conference earlier this week.

It’s an especially moving gesture after tragedy struck the Asian community in Midland last month.

At Sam’s Club, police report a man tried to kill an Asian family with a knife and the FBI said he did it because he thought the family was spreading the coronavirus.

Despite that incident, the association has made it their mission to leave racial issues like that behind them and focus on being the generous community members West Texas needs right now.

“Our culture is known for being kind to strangers and our culture is known for an emphasis on education and all that. So that blends with our culture perfectly. That’s why we’re here and why we are proud to be a member of West Texas.”

The association said donations are still trickling in so if it’s feasible, they’ll try to get another shipment of medical supplies.