HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The owner of a Henrico bakery donated thousands of face masks and hundreds of pastries to first responders.
Yu Lin opened BrecoTea Baking Studio located 9125 West Broad Street in 2019.
She reached out to friends overseas to order the protective equipment after seeing the supply dwindle during the onset of the pandemic in Central Virginia.
A shipment of about 16,000 face masks arrived from China about a month later on April 18.
On Monday, Lin turned her West Broad Street baking studio into an assembly line to box up 400 loaves of bread and pastries.
“Our kids went to local schools here so we really want to contribute to something to help the local community to fight against the coronavirus,” Lin said through the help of her attorney and realtor, Nancy Wan.
Wan designed fliers they glued to the boxes that read:
“Together, we fight the virus! Love from BrecoTea & Richmond Chinese American Community.”
Lin and her employees divided up the supplies and delivered them to St. Mary’s Hospital, VCU Medical Center, Henrico Public Safety, and Richmond Police Department.
“During a crisis or times of need the community stands together,” Richmond Police Deputy Chief William Friday said. “The Chinese American community is one that has stood together with the Richmond Police Department and we thank them dearly for the contribution.”
Lin owns nine restaurants including a Sushi King that sits next-door to her West End bakery.
VCU students who show a student ID will also receive five free face masks when they order at BrecoTea.