10,000 Masks Project Launched; County Dispatchers Get 200 Masks

SANTA CRUZ, CA — The City of Santa Cruz has launched its 10,000 Masks Projects to outfit homeless people and essential workers with 10,000 masks by the end of the month. Santa Cruz Regional 911, which provides dispatch services to law enforcement agencies in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties, has already received its first donation of 200 masks.

Dispatchers put out a call for masks on Wednesday, days before Santa Cruz County's order mandating face coverings went into effect. By Friday dispatchers received the donation of 200 fabric masks, the city said. Volunteers sent in a total of 850 masks Friday.

“The 10,000 Masks Project underscores the truly amazing community that we live in,” said Mayor Justin Cummings in a news release. “There is deep desire among Santa Cruz residents to come together and support each other — so many wanted to become involved, the amount of support we received was amazing.”

The city launched the project last week in partnership with 200 volunteers and Harts Fabric Shop, which donated 7,000 yards of fabric, thread and elastic. Volunteers had already made more than 4,000 masks as of Monday.

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