Donate Hand-Made Masks
There are many healthcare providers across the country, including many of our own Unificationist members, putting their lives on the line to take care of those who have contracted the COVID-19 disease. As a community, the first and most important action we can take to serve our healthcare heroes and fellow man is to practice social distancing and other guidance as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, with the increasing shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare personnel, there’s another way that we can practice living for the sake of others: handmade face masks.
It is important to note that, according to the CDC, the effectiveness of handmade face masks is unknown. And while they are not classified as PPE, the CDC has listed it as a recommended “last resort” for healthcare providers to use in protecting themselves.
There are several websites that have step-by-step instructions for making masks. The instructions found on these sites can be used to guide your family’s efforts to help flatten the curve and help keep our healthcare workers safe. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, local mask-making groups recommend mask designs from organizations like the Made Institute, Relief Crafters of America, and Providence St. Joseph Health.
If you do have a sewing machine and your family is able to help, be sure to keep in mind that anything that can keep the edges of the mask flush to the skin will provide better coverage around the face. This can include using 1/4 inch elastic or fabric ties to loop around the ears and 3-inches of wire needed to bend the mask and shape it to the bridge of the nose. Some tutorials even include the addition of a pocket to contain material that could act as a filter.
To learn how to make a mask that incorporates both elastic bands and wire, please download this PDF.
Contact your local hospital to see if they are accepting handmade masks. Their volunteers’ office may even be able to connect you with a local craft guild who knit and sew to work with. There are a few other organizations that are connecting crafters with healthcare providers requesting handmade masks such as Deaconess Health System in Indiana, Masks for Heroes, and Masks for Docs.
The real heroes are fighting on the frontlines of these modern times, and they need our support – our prayers, our hearts, and our hands – that we may all support each other in living for the sake of others in any big and small way that we can.