Face Masks Being Given Away In Lakewood Starting Thursday

LAKEWOOD, OH — Free face masks will be distributed to Lakewood residents starting Thursday morning.

The Giving Tree Project, which provides free masks to Ohioans, is bringing its second "giving" tree to Lakewood. Masks will literally be hung from a tree for residents to collect.

The face mask giveaway will start at 10 a.m. on Thursday in the Around the Corner parking lot, 18616 Detroit Ave., in front of Blackbird Bakery.

"We provide free face masks to communities for those who cannot afford or have access to them. Our Rocky River tree has already provided hundreds of masks to the public," the group said in a news release sent to Patch.

Initially there will be 50 to 100 masks for residents to collect. After Friday, there will usually be 25 masks hanging from the tree on a daily basis, an organizer told Patch.

During Thursday's mask giveaway, state Senator Nickie Antonio, attorney Kira Krivosh, Mayor Meghan George and City Council President Dan O'Malley will address attendees.

Masks are free for residents. Each person should take only take two masks. Masks should be washed before their first use. Masks will be replenished each business day, allowing Lakewood residents to continue getting face masks, as needed.

The Giving Tree Project began with Krivosh and Antonio began sewing and donating face masks to their communities. The two began working together to create a network of volunteers to sew masks for Ohioans.

The first Giving Tree is located in Rocky River and began distributing masks on May 28. The group has already distributed hundreds of free face masks to Ohioans.

The plan was always to operate two giving trees in Lakewood and Rocky River, said Kira Krivosh, co-found of the Giving Tree Project. She and her husband are former Lakewood residents and own property and businesses in the city. "We're heavily invested in our communities," said Krivosh.

A third Giving Tree will be started in Cleveland in the coming weeks.