The Helmsley Charitable Trust is committing $1.1 million to air a series of public service announcements across seven upper Midwest states to increase mask wearing in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Though the seven states served by Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Program weathered the spring and summer without large COVID-19 outbreaks, all have experienced a surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths over the last few months. Each topped 100 cases per 100,000 people during the month of November, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Helmsley and the South Dakota Broadcasters Association are partnering with broadcasters’ associations in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming on a targeted public education campaign aimed at inciting behavior change. The television and radio broadcasters are contributing a 3:1 match, boosting Helmsley’s $1 million into a $4 million campaign.