On March 20th, after watching an instructional video from a hospital in Indiana, Stephanie Oddo, cut some spare fabric with the intent to sew face masks for frontline healthcare workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That night, before she went to bed she thought setting up a Facebook Group Page would be a nice way to learn more, reach out to the healthcare workers and to pool local resources.
When she woke up in the morning, the group had exploded with many people willing to join the effort. In less than 24 hours, the group made its first mask delivery and in less than a week the Collaborative had delivered over 1000 masks to our local healthcare workers and had over 500 members.
By March 30, 10 days later, the Healthcare Mask Collaborative total coordinated deliveries was over 1750 masks, with hundreds more delivered through the member’s own contacts in the community. At the groups 2 week mark 4,000 masks had been delivered and another estimated 1,000 more given through personal contacts.
HMC has delivered masks to healthcare workers at local hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers and daycare centers for healthcare worker’s children. To date, masks delivered total over 6,600 and the FB site has over 900 members. All masks are donated and made with the power of the human spirit to help one another in a time of need.
Stephanie is joined by an invaluable team of Admins: Valerie Rhodes (FB Communications), Marie Crosson (Sewer Relations), Lisa Chetti (Sewing advisor, Public Relations), Kathy Herritt (Writer) and Olivia Winner (Organizer). Together, the whole collaborative is proud to reach out to our community from Los Angeles to San Diego and beyond.
HMC is inspiring groups across the country from the East Coast to the West Coast and even offers a tutorial video in Persian for those sewing in Iran.
For more information, check out the COVID-19 Healthcare Mask Collaborative – South OC Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/211739239906002