Hand Sanitizer donations continue as industry supports COVID precautions

18-Mar-2021 - Last updated on 18-Mar-2021 at 15:42 GMT

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This month, as in-person learning resumed in Shelby County Tennessee, local beauty maker Ampro Industries delivered more than 6,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to help keep students, teachers, and staff safe.

Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and founded in 1947, Ampro Industries specializes in private label manufacturing of personal care and hair gel products. Perhaps best known for the Ampro Pro Styl protein styling gel, the company owns seven brands that cater primarily to the textured hair marketplace and/or multicultural beauty consumers.

Like so many beauty makers, Ampro repurposed their manufacturing facility early last year to begin making hand sanitizer gel. And the company continues to do so, donating more than 6,300 gallons of hand sanitizer to the Shelby County School System's (SCS) ‘Return Stronger’ school drive this month.

On Monday, March 1, teachers and students in pre-K through 5th grade returned to in-classroom learning; and those in 6th through 12th grades went back the following Monday, March 8.

“This is a very exciting day as we return in person, stronger,” SCS superintendent Dr. Joris Ray tells Briseida Holguin of WMC5 Action News (an NBC affiliate), adding that “We’re stronger together. Coronavirus did not defeat us, because we are 901,” Ray says, referencing the Shelby County area code.

The donation of hand sanitizer is quite significant in scope. SCS is one of the largest public school districts in the US, comprising over 200 schools and serving 100,000+ students.

The Ampro Industries approach to serving consumers and communities

“One of Ampro Industries, Inc., core responsibilities is to their community,” explains a press release shared with Cosmetics Design about the hand sanitizer donation. “The Ampro team works to participate in the promotion of civic improvement, health, education and good government.” (Read more about Ampro Industries values and history online here.)

And Ampro Industries President Jack Sammons tells the press that “Ampro is delighted to donate 4 truckloads of Ampro Hand Sanitizer to Shelby County Schools.”

“Ampro products,” he says, “are made right here in Memphis at our factory in Frayser [a community just north of downtown Memphis]. We are honored to partner with Superintendent Joris Ray and all our teachers as we enthusiastically welcome our students back to their school classrooms.”

Ray shared his thanks to Ampro and the larger Shelby County community on social media posting, “Our partners in education showed up big today for our students at our #ReturnStronger supply drive. [Their] support empowers students all across our county.”