Sewing Masks to Help Those in Need

Mary Beebe of The Sewing Group hard at work making reusable cloth masks for donation (Key News via Mary Beebe)

Face masks are increasingly hard to come by, and with the CDC recommending that Americans wear cloth face coverings in public, shortages  pose a challenge.  With this in mind, two initiatives have engaged locally in  the cause of making and distributing reusable facemasks.  The Sewing Group, volunteers from Active Seniors on the Key (A.S.K.), and the non-profit A Zero Waste Culture, are leading the effort and donating home-made reusable masks to the Key Biscayne Community Foundation for distribution to local seniors.

The tools needed to sew reusable masks (Key News via Mary Beebe)

Mary Beebe, an active member of The Sewing Group, said that “as soon as [they] heard about the need for masks, [they] immediately started sewing them.”  Beginning about a week ago when the need for masks became obvious, Beebe has sewn around 50 reusable masks from a pattern provided to The Sewing Group by “Tim the Taylor” (another Sewing Group member).  Using canvas for the outside and 100% cotton fabrics for the inside, the Sewing Group’s goal is to make as many masks as possible to get them out to the seniors in need.

The finished product: reusable masks for donation to the Key Biscayne Community Foundation (Key News via Mary Beebe)

Helena Iturralde is well-known around Key Biscayne for A Zero Waste Culture.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and shortages of personal protective equipment, she put together a team of two professional seamstresses and 25 women volunteering their time and talents to create reusable masks mainly for medical professionals.  A Zero Waste Culture focuses on repurposing fabrics which they convert into their own facemask creations, thereby filling an urgent need, with materials at hand and minimal waste.

The Sewing Group, A Zero Waste Culture and the KBCF, and these protective mask projects, are among a number of local examples of people making a positive difference through sheer dedication and creativity.