Coronavirus: Volunteer Mask Makers Seek To Protect Whole Village

NYACK, NY — As the supply crisis worsened, a group of volunteers started sewing protective masks for staff fighting the new coronavirus pandemic at Montefiore Nyack Hospital. Now, three weeks and 4,000 masks later, they're pivoting to an even larger project: making sure everyone in their village has a mask.

Organized by Donna Davies Timm and Bill Batson, Nyack Mask Makers is working with village officials on a campaign to teach people how to make simple masks themselves, even as they continue making more sophisticated masks for nursing homes, emergency responders and health centers all over Rockland County.

The village will help run the campaign to educate people about how to make a mask at home, and will get masks out to people who need them the most. They've even gotten a local celebrity, Mario the Magician, to make a video on how to do it yourself.

(It's easy, and all you need is a 20x20 square of cloth like a bandanna or cloth napkin or chunk of t-shirt, plus two rubber bands.)

The new, simpler, do-it-yourself pattern creates a mask with about 10 layers, which is much more protection against the virus than just tying a scarf around your head, Timm pointed out.

"When I wear a mask, I'm protecting you," said Mayor Don Hammond. "When you wear a mask, you're protecting me."

This new campaign, called Mask4All, builds on the work these creative types have already done. Since March 20, Nyack Mask Makers:

• organized 300 volunteers, most with sewing machines.
• Worked with Montefiore to develop a template and prototype.
• Delivered 2,000 grade II masks to Montefiore Nyack Hospital.
• Delivered 2,000 masks to local nursing homes, mental health and addiction facilities and first responders.

Tim and Batson said their efforts have been made much easier by the fact that there's a local store where they can get fabric. All of the sewing volunteers are registered at the Quilt Tree in Nyack, and donations are covering the cost of the fabric. All the sewers have to do is pick it up.

"Scott Fortunoff, who owns two fabric companies: Jaftex and Free Spirit, is sending me fabric to use in the effort," said Lisa Jenner, owner of the Quilt Tree. "He’s a very generous man - not just now, always. I’m in the store from 11 to 3 from Wednesday to Sunday to hand out supplies."

As for that fundraising campaign — back when they thought they could make 500 masks a week, they thought raising $2,000 would cover the costs. This being Nyack they raised more than double that amount.

Now they're fabricating 1,500 masks a week, and they have a goal of 10,000, which will allow them to supply not only local nursing homes, rehab facilities and fire departments, but also the County Sheriff's Office, the Rockland Psychiatric Center and more, Batson said.

They're also looking for more volunteers. Sign up or more information online on Nyack Mask Makers and Mask4All.

"We have to continue to flatten the curve," said the mayor. "Stay home. Wash your hands. Wear a mask when you go outside."

If you want to contribute, check out the GoFundMe page.