How We are Helping our Communities during COVID-19

We are living through troubling and uncertain times that have impacted us all.

I asked myself how my Gilded Lace team and I can help. We can offer our skills in sewing. We are designing and sewing 100% cotton face masks with purifying filters. These masks can be used by volunteers in the medical community and people in need. We are donating our masks to The New Jewish Home (a nursing home/health care facility in New York City) and volunteers at Martha's Vineyard Community Services. While these are not medical-grade N95, they provide significant more protection than no mask at all.

Safety has been our priority when developing the patterns and design. Our fabric masks are re-usable. After each use, they can be washed in a hot cycle in the machine which kills any germs. We are making some masks with removable filters and some with the filters built in.

We have done significant research on how to construct and use masks. We have learned that when wearing the mask, the outside of the mask may become contaminated. We should not touch the outside of the mask and then our eyes or mouth. When taking off the mask, we should not grab the inside of the mask which could become contaminated by our hands. After handling the mask, we should wash are hands carefully.

If you would like to do more to help, there are many local organizations that would appreciate your contribution to fight COVID-19. If you don't find a local organization on this list, you may want to contact your local hospital or nursing facility.

Here are a few:

• New York - New York Public Hospitals
• San Francisco - Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
• Los Angeles- Cedars Sinai Hospital - Cedars Sinai Hospital supplies
• Seattle- Virginia Mason Seattle Medical Center 
• American Red Cross
• Italian Red Cross

All of us here feel the weight of our responsibility to the community, particularly right now. We are greater together than on our own. Let's stay strong, engaged, and connected to each other!