76ers' Michael Rubin Lends a Helping Hand to Philly Police

Despite having bad press a couple of weeks ago, the Philadelphia 76ers are going to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic looking like the good guys, rightfully so. Lately, a handful of members of the Sixers organization have been lending a helping hand to those in need.

All last week, Sixers Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer contributed to a number of donations within areas of Philadelphia and New Jersey. Now, Sixers' Limited Partner Michael Rubin is going to expand his efforts as well.

In collaboration with Pennsylvania Attorney General, Josh Shapiro, Michael Rubin has helped donate 5,000 masks to the Philadelphia Police Department on Wednesday. 

Just a few weeks ago, Rubin came up with the idea to turn his sports merchandise company, Fanatics, into a mask and gown production company for the time being. 

"The COVID-19 crisis has compelled our country to be more collaborative, innovative, and strategic than ever before," Rubin wrote a few weeks back. "As the demand for masks and gowns have surged, we're fortunate to have teamed up with Major League Baseball to find a unique way to support our frontline workers in this fight to stem the virus, who are in dire need of essential resources."

Since Fanatics possessed enough material to produce a mass amount of medical gear, Rubin asked his workers to stop making Phillies and Yankees jerseys and to start producing medical masks and hospital gowns for healthcare workers to use during the pandemic.

Since supplies were also running short for the Philadelphia Police Department, Rubin made a similar order. Now with his help, the Police Department has got its hands on 5,000 masks as the pandemic continues to grow in the city of Philadelphia.  

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_