Local group faces shortage head-on

Fabric? Check!

Elastic? Check!

Sewing machine? Check!

Some basic sewing knowledge, a little time to spare and a whole lot of heart? Check! Check! Check!

The COVID-19 crisis has caused a shortage of face masks in hospitals and other facilities around the world, and a small group of people in Holyoke are doing their part to help.

Trust Quietly is a new group made up of individuals looking for ways to help others during the crisis by using their talents and time. Their first project is creating homemade masks out of quilting and sewing scrap material that can be used by health workers, first responders and highly vulnerable or at-risk individuals.

Two of the organizers, Kay Schmidt and Jan Hewitt, began working on a sewing template for the face masks Friday, March 20, and as of March 31, they had sent 310 completed masks out the door.

“It’s just exploded,” said Schmidt after looking back at the first week of sewing.

The masks have gone to Melissa Memorial Hospital and Holyoke Marketplace as well as other entities and individuals that have requested them. Masks have been shipped around Colorado and Nebraska and as far as a children’s hospital in Alabama.

The masks are on their way to nursing homes, family care givers and cancer patients in addition to hospitals and clinics. Even if an at-risk person would simply like one to wear to the grocery store or an appointment — these masks are for you too!

Word has quickly spread through the Trust Quietly page on Facebook.

“Our goal is to make as many as we can, get them into the hands of those who need them and pray God will see us through this time as we quietly trust in his strength,” a post said on Facebook.

Schmidt and Hewitt have had people contacting them about donating fabric and elastic and volunteering to cut material for them. They will continue to take donations as long as there is a need for more masks.

They’ve also started a small fund to help with shipping costs, and all of the masks are given at no charge to those who request them.
“God blessed us, so we want to bless others,” said Hewitt.

Schmidt’s job as a nurse has given her first-hand knowledge of how fast medical facilities are going through the personal protective equipment that’s approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We may not be in crunch mode, but we’re in conservation mode,” she said.

CDC’s website says that homemade masks could potentially be used by health care professionals as a last resort if there are no more approved masks available. Caution should be exercised because the capability of fabric masks to protect is unknown.

“Fabric is better than nothing,” said Schmidt.

The double-layer fabric masks, which feature a wide variety of patterns and colors, can be washed and used again and again.

Hewitt is happily using up all of her sons’ inheritance — a joke in reference to the fabric piles she’s built up in her house. “After 60 years of sewing, I have lots of scraps,” she said.

Hewitt is an avid sewer and quilter, but she’s especially enjoyed getting to use her passion for sewing on this project. “It gives me a purpose and gives me something to do when I’m confined,” she said. “Sewing is my best friend, and it’s gotten me through a lot of tough times.”

She encourages other seniors to find a project they enjoy doing — reading, puzzles, etc. — to get them through their own tough times.

For more information on how to volunteer or donate to the Trust Quietly face mask project or if you would like to request masks be sent to you or your business, email trustquietly@gmail.com or send a private message to the Trust Quietly Facebook page.

Fabric donations must be tightly woven 100% cotton, and elastic should be 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.