Middletown Teenager Sewing Masks for the Community

Middletown, NJ Long before there was a pandemic driving a shortage of surgical masks, Caitlin Zaccardo, an eighth grade student at Saint Leo the Great School, was known for her big heart and willingness to help. So it is no surprise she would figure out a way to help those impacted by COVID-19.

In third grade Caitlin raised over $1,000 for Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital by making and selling potholders. In sixth grade, she asked her friends and family to make donations to the Farm Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary dedicated to combat the abuses of factory farming, instead of receiving birthday gifts. She has also donated her hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, an organization that partnered with the American Cancer Society to distribute free wigs to cancer patients.

Once Caitlin heard of the shortage of medical supplies, specifically masks for caregivers and those with compromised immune systems, she knew she could do something about it. First on her mind were her extended family members battling cancers, another recovered from cancer, and one with diabetes. She got out her sewing machine and made masks to mail them but did not stop there.

Caitlin Zaccardo belongs to Ignite Youth Group of Saint Leo the Great Parish. Caitlin received a call from Mrs. Joan Kret, Youth Minister, asking for Caitlin’s help to put out on Instagram a message to fellow youth members to look for ways during the state shelter in place to help their communities. Caitlin shared her idea of sewing masks for those in need and with that, her good deed went viral. Caitlin was contacted by a member of the community requesting masks for area nursing and rehabilitation homes. When asked what they could do to help, Caitlin mentioned she needed elastic to continue producing the masks and within days, 100 yards of elastic was delivered to her home in Middletown.

Sewing may be in her DNA as her grandmother is an experienced seamstress however, Caitlin’s talent for sewing began during Girl Scouts when her troop got their “sewing badge” learning to sew at Let’s Sew in Shrewsbury, NJ. Caitlin’s mother, Sharon Zaccardo, was thrilled her daughter would develop an interest in sewing and cultivated her talent with sewing camps.

Next up for Caitlin, Joan Kret videotaped a tutorial of Caitlin sewing for some women’s groups that were also interested in helping sew masks for the community. Once Caitlin’s personal goal of 100 masks is completed for the nursing and rehabilitation homes, she intends to reach out to hospitals and doctors that have set up tents for testing for COVID-19 in Red Bank, NJ and the surrounding area to offer help.