Lockheed Martin Donates $500,000 to AV Hospital

Antelope Valley Hospital received a $500,000 grant from aerospace giant Lockheed Martin to obtain personal protective equipment, according to a statement from the hospital. The community hospital will use funds to purchase N95 masks, disposable isolation gowns, Nitrile disposable gloves and ventilators. “We are very grateful for this generous contribution that will help AV Hospital acquire crisis relief equipment to protect the hospital’s frontline workers and our patients,” Ed Mirzabegian, chief executive at AV Hospital, said in a statement. “The generosity from Lockheed Martin is a testament to the community working together through this pandemic.” The grant is especially helpful since the hospital had to cancel its annual fundraising golf tournament due to the pandemic, Mirzabegian said. Jeff Babione, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, met with Mirzabegian to present the grant, along with a “challenge coin” representing the hospital’s “outstanding performance during the pandemic,” the statement said. The gesture stems from a military tradition dating back to World War I. Lockheed also partnered with Lemon Leaf Café in Lancaster for the grant presentation, bringing 500 bags of treats for hospital employees.