Medfield Masks is Community Combining for a Cause

Medfield Makes Masks is Community Combining for a Cause

Two months ago, on March 22, 2020, a group of Medfield residents created the “Medfield Makes Masks: Community Combining for a Cause” FaceBook group and today it has become so much more!

Initiated by Jonathan Gray, a core group was formed, Zoom conferenced and heads put together to do something to help others. The FaceBook page with logo designed by Janie Steele and Hayden Gray was created and grew within days and 8 weeks later has become a 200+ member group and a force of volunteers to be reckoned with – nearly 150 so far.

In addition to Gray, Jean Mineo, Donna King-Luft, Amy Catalano, Brenna Ferrick and I began this mission without a plan. Some of us didn’t even know each other, but we clicked and we are still clicking. The first post on our newly created FaceBook page was a request for volunteers to sew masks and a plea for cotton material and loaner sewing machines. The residents responded in great numbers and the wheels began to turn. Initially, masks were being made to give to medical professionals in hospitals – and we have supplied every major hospital in eastern Mass - but the list of needs expanded and masks were being made for dozens of different kinds of groups, including 7 local municipal police and fire departments, community groups, church organizations, nursing homes, homeless shelters, senior citizen housing groups and individuals who were in need. In addition to our own state, our products are now being used in New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and California.

In addition, the group became a clearing house for other PPE including N-95 and surgical masks, gloves, disposable surgical caps, goggles, and much more. In addition, one of our volunteers was able to source the material and equipment to make face shields,

Mineo took on the task of organizing and distributing “Supplies” and Gray took on the “Logistics and Distribution” role. Both of these tasks required 24/7 attention. The request for donations of cotton fabric, elastic, and pipe cleaners, and eventually buttons, was real and people responded in a positive way by dropping off supplies and donating funds to help with cost of purchasing supplies. We also were given a "barrel full of monkeys" because their arms were perfectly shaped to connect elastic ear loops and use as ear savers! In supplying needs, we matched the various options to the various needs in terms of size, format, filters, and appropriate fabric; for the PD and FD needs, we created a custom design with appropriate fabric for their needs.

Ferrick created YouTube tutorials on mask making and nurse King-Luft was a critical part of knowing what the best fabric and designs to create, since her job as a nurse at Beth Israel meant that she had real-time knowledge of what worked and what didn’t.

One of the first people to join the FB page was a Medfield dad. He and his family wanted to help although none of them knew how to sew nor owned a sewing machine. As quickly as he posted his request, we were offered the loan of a sewing machine and set him up. He and his 13 year old daughter watched the tutorials and got to work. They encountered a few bumps along the way, and ultimately decided to purchase their own sewing machine, ultimately find success and producing their first masks. The Medfield community is full of people that care and want to help.

The need for masks was real, and this was before Governor Baker declared “masks for all” in Massachusetts.

In addition to the Medfield volunteers, Gray reached out to his church friends at Medway Community Church, where over twenty volunteers have been cutting and sewing, and a professional seamstress he knew in order to fulfill the huge number of mask requests and the FaceBook group grew from a handful of people to 50 and then to over 200. For distribution, there was a “mule train”, where three drivers ferried materials and finished products between Medfield, Medway, and a dozen other locations; for longer trips, there was even a Pony Express!

By week 5 or so, we were made aware that many medical professionals were suffering from skin breakdown behind the ears from wearing masks during long shifts; this led the group to start making headbands and scrub caps, with buttons. This was a new sewing challenge and the demand was huge; in 72 hours we developed new patterns and tutorials, revamped supply for the different sized pieces required, and shifted production. Most importantly, masks could now be affixed to the buttons on the headbands and caps (instead of behind the ears) to solve the problem. Brilliant!

Catalano took on the Scrub Cap coordination and tutorial creations. She and Mineo worked together creating a sub group of volunteer “cutters” and “button sewers” to keep production flowing. This social distance assembly line worked like a charm, and finished products are delivered to Gray’s “Mask Central” for distribution.

As we enter into week 9, the volunteers are still churning out masks and caps, and the end is not yet in sight, but the statistics are impressive. Medfield Makes Masks has given away nearly 5,000 items: 3,003 face masks; 1,331 scrub caps; 445 ear savers; 125 face shields; and 9 headbands. In addition, in our role as a clearing house for Medical PPE, we have distributed 27 boxes of disposable surgical caps, 25 medical grade masks, and uncounted numbers of goggles and gloves.

Thank you, the volunteers of Medfield, Medway and beyond, and to all the medical professionals and first responders working to keep us well. It is comforting to know that when the need is there, this community definitely shows up for the cause!