Sewcial Distance DC
Donation protected
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many of us are wondering what we can do to help those who are in need. In Washington, D.C., we fear that the city's homeless and immigrant/refugee communities will be especially susceptible to catching and suffering from the deadly virus. The homeless and those without permanent status in the U.S. 1) may not have the luxury to practice social distancing in their homes, and 2) likely won't be able to access the medical supplies or care that they need.
We're mobilizing members of the community to help make face masks for those who need medical supplies and a sense of security the most. We're connecting anyone who can sew and is based in the D.C. area with homeless and refugee shelters in the city. This will not only provide medical supplies to the city's groups in need, but will ensure that manufactured surgical masks can be reserved for our health care professionals.
The face masks that we produce through SewCial Distance DC will primarily be made through fabrics and materials (100% cotton) that we provide to volunteers. We acknowledge that homemade face masks are not as highly effective as N95 surgical masks, but studies have shown that 100% cotton fabric catches as much as 75% of airborne particles, while medical-grade face masks catch around 97%. The CDC recommends that homemade face masks and other protections should be used as a last resort for when medical supplies are scarce. Unfortunately, this is already the case, and it's on us as a community to do what we can to pitch in.
The best part about this effort is that we can do it almost entirely from our own homes. As we are engaging in social distancing and preparing for potentially tighter restrictions on our ability to work as usual, this is an easy and meaningful way to use our time to contribute, sewing at home or virtually with a group. We will provide and send the necessary supplies (excluding a sewing machine), which we will arrange to send to shelters and other locations.
If you're not in the D.C. area and can't volunteer for this effort, if you're a fellow concerned D.C. resident, or if you simply think this is a good idea, providing us with the funds to get this off the ground is where you can start.
All funds raised through this GoFundMe page will be used to cover the costs of materials that we're providing to volunteers (100% cotton fabric; thread; elastic materials) and logistical costs associated with the transport and distribution of materials and finished face masks.
Inquiries to [email redacted].
Learn more on our Facebook Page.
We're mobilizing members of the community to help make face masks for those who need medical supplies and a sense of security the most. We're connecting anyone who can sew and is based in the D.C. area with homeless and refugee shelters in the city. This will not only provide medical supplies to the city's groups in need, but will ensure that manufactured surgical masks can be reserved for our health care professionals.
The face masks that we produce through SewCial Distance DC will primarily be made through fabrics and materials (100% cotton) that we provide to volunteers. We acknowledge that homemade face masks are not as highly effective as N95 surgical masks, but studies have shown that 100% cotton fabric catches as much as 75% of airborne particles, while medical-grade face masks catch around 97%. The CDC recommends that homemade face masks and other protections should be used as a last resort for when medical supplies are scarce. Unfortunately, this is already the case, and it's on us as a community to do what we can to pitch in.
The best part about this effort is that we can do it almost entirely from our own homes. As we are engaging in social distancing and preparing for potentially tighter restrictions on our ability to work as usual, this is an easy and meaningful way to use our time to contribute, sewing at home or virtually with a group. We will provide and send the necessary supplies (excluding a sewing machine), which we will arrange to send to shelters and other locations.
If you're not in the D.C. area and can't volunteer for this effort, if you're a fellow concerned D.C. resident, or if you simply think this is a good idea, providing us with the funds to get this off the ground is where you can start.
All funds raised through this GoFundMe page will be used to cover the costs of materials that we're providing to volunteers (100% cotton fabric; thread; elastic materials) and logistical costs associated with the transport and distribution of materials and finished face masks.
Inquiries to [email redacted].
Learn more on our Facebook Page.
Organizer
Kristen Martinez
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
