Make masks for healthcare workers

When men defended our nation during WWII, the women manned factories making munitions, building ships and plane, and stepped up to support the war effort. Today, women (and men) are stepping up their support for our healthcare professionals who are fighting a war with the coronavirus, by making surgical masks that can be used over the N95 masks to add more protection. We have a huge deficit of N95 and surgical masks that our frontline workers need.

I have designed a 4-layer mask that houses a filter that can be washed and reused. Without leaving my house, I found enough cotton fabric, elastic, and wire to make dozens of masks. My friend Mario brought me the filters when he heard I was sewing masks so I wouldn’t have to leave the house. Rob, my husband, also joined me in cutting fabric and picking up more fabric. I love the support we’re getting as we ramp up our efforts to provide the backup masks that hospital staff definitely needs.

If you have a sewing machine and you’d like to help, I’ve made a YouTube video to show exactly how to make these masks. They’re easy to make and it’s rewarding to know that doctors, nurses, paramedics, and all frontline workers will be safer. Here’s the link to my YouTube video and a link to the pattern.

Our healthcare professionals feel demoralized when they don’t have the PPEs they need and they feel like nobody cares. Giving gifts of homemade masks will help build morale while they face the most physically and psychologically challenging times of their careers. Please send these masks to your local Emergency Departments. Check to make sure they’re accepting homemade masks. You can also send masks directly to me, and I’ll distribute them to hospitals that need them. This is who we are – and thank you for your support!