Healthcare workers across Illinois and nationwide are in need of personal protective equipment, or PPE, as they work on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.

If you have items like masks, gloves, gowns and more, here's how you can donate them to a few Chicago-area hospitals, plus other ways you can pitch in:

Contact the State of Illinois

The state of Illinois is looking for the following items: masks (N95, earloop, surgical), gowns (isolation, non-descript), gloves (nitrile, sterile, surgical), face shields, goggles, infection control kits, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and forehead thermometers

All items must be unopened and in the manufacturer's original packaging

If you have any donations, please email state officials at ppe.donations@illinois.gov, including the quantities you have of each item as well as your address to determine the best drop-off point

State officials will get in contact with next steps. Smaller donations may be directed to donate to nearby police, fire and EMS services to minimize travel. The state also recommends contacting first responders in your area to see if they can utilize your items

Plans to convert part of Chicago’s McCormick Place into an alternate care facility for coronavirus patients are underway.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Only factory-made hospital quality supplies including N-95 masks, face shields, gloves, gowns, sanitizer and swabs can be donated

Anyone interested in donating must first fill out a form

Email supplydonations@nm.org

University of Chicago Medical Center

Most urgently needed supplies include (PDI) disinfectant wipes, surgical masks, N-95 masks and sterile, cotton-tipped swabs (specifically BD #220531)

If you have medical supplies or products that are from a verifiable vendor source and in bulk quantities, please submit a supply intake form

Rush University Medical Center

To donate to Rush University Medical Center, email Associate Vice President for Supply Chain Operations Quincy Stanley at quincy_stanley@rush.edu

The hospital lists other ways to help on its website

Edward-Elmhurst Health

Items most needed include N95 masks, procedural/surgical masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, nitrile gloves, isolation gowns, goggles and thermometers

Donations can be dropped off at one of the hospitals loading docks 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday

Advocate Health Care