Craft For A Cause: Where Can I Donate Face Masks?

The question, “Where can I donate face masks to protect people from COVID-19?” is top of mind for so many people right now. It’s on the minds of home sewers as well as local factories. It’s also on the minds of the 3D printing community across the globe.

So this post is intended to point you in the exact right direction (when I’m able) or at least connect you to groups or organizations that can.

This post will be updated as I learn more about healthcare workers in need and when I can provide clear, additional information.

Please note: While this post details handmade and 3D printed options, organizations across the globe are in need of medical-grade supplies so if you have some on-hand or access to supplies, please contact your local hospitals and donate what you can.

I am also happy to help get the word out if you are in need of handmade or 3D printed masks and would like that need posted publicly. Please keep reading to find out how to get in touch.

Where can I join a group to donate face masks?

These groups or websites below will support your efforts and connect you to immediate needs for face masks in a variety of materials.

National & International Groups

Humboldt Coronavirus Mask Makers on Facebook. This group is fabric focused and the admins keep things centralized and organized by fielding and filling requests.

They already have a long list that needs to be filled and are supplying those with the highest need first.

This means the requests from an ICU unit and hospital ER with no supplies who are dealing with patients who have the virus will be served first.

After those needs are met, the group will supply other medical personnel as well as non-medical community members in need.

//

UC Berkeley School of Public Health We Need Handmade Masks has pulled together an extensive list (and growing!) of hospitals by state that are accepting handmade masks.

This group is doing the due diligence to ensure fabric masks will be accepted by each facility listed.

//

Deaconness – Organizations Needing Face Masks has an list of organizations by state with the exact need and a contact person.

When I first saw their site, it was merely a request for face mask.

It appears, however, that with the outpouring of support they have been very proactive in updating their website to provide additional information and support.

//

#GetUsPPE This is organization is looking to provide medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE), among other things and is the combination of over 12 groups in concert.

They have a list of facilities by state that need standard PPE and also a list of places accepting fabric masks that you can find here.

//

Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies on Facebook. This groups has makers of all kinds. They not only have people who are sewing face masks but also people 3D printing face masks and face shields.

//

Relief Crafters of America on Facebook. This group is more craft or fabric-focused and existed before the Coronavirus crisis.

They regularly provide much-needed handmade items to various organizations throughout the world.

This link will take you to the main group and from there, you should find your local hub and join them too.

Area-specific Face Mask Groups

Make A Mask & Care Mask Covers for COVID-19 have partnered to support healthcare workers in the Austin area, but welcomes donations from across the US.

//

Hoppe CA – (Southern California) Make sure to scroll, they list drop-off locations at the bottom of the page and request you let them where you’re donating know via a Google form.

//

Montreal COVID Medical Supplies on Facebook. This group is a local version of the Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies group above.

//

Make Me PPE Bay Area on Facebook.

//

Crafters against COVID-19 Seattle on Facebook

//

Crafters against COVID-19 Missoula on Facebook

/

//

Gainesville Face Mask Crafters for COVID-19 Support on Facebook

//

Crafters Against COVID-19 *PDX* on Facebook

//

Operation We Can Sew It (Colorado)

Where Can I Donate Fabric Face Masks Directly?

You can donate directly to these organizations who are still in need of masks.

California

Hearts and Hands (Santa Cruz) needs 100 fabric face masks of any design and 15 – 25 3D printed face masks or face shields (looks like a really long visor). Contact: Sandi Yu via email or message on Facebook.

//

Northern California Kaiser Permanente will accept fabric masks made with this specific pattern to give to patients as they enter the medical center. This is considered a ‘cover your cough’ type mask.

Connecticut

Yale New Haven Hospital has an urgent need for face masks. They ask that you please use Craft Passion’s pattern. You may drop off or mail donations. You can find more detailed information, that will be updated as their needs shift, on their “support our caregivers” page.

Georgia

Emory Healthcare is accepting fabric mask donations. They have two patterns they’ll accept and provide clear directions on how the masks need to be sewn and drive-thru donation directions.

//

Phoebe Health is accepting donations and has a specific pattern they’d like you to use.

Massachusetts

Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program is accepting fabric mask donations for their clients and their caregivers. They will currently accept any face mask pattern.

Contact: Amanda McKenney via email or phone: 857-654-1043 and she will help to coordinate the drop-off or shipping of the masks.

Minnesota

Texas

In Round Rock, TX, they have set up a page on the City of Round Rock website that specifies the available donation locations. As of April 3, 2020, they were requesting the Deaconess pattern.

How do I have my request posted publicly on Create To Donate?

If you or someone you know is in need, please feel free to contact me so I can learn more and then add you to this list. When you contact me, please specify the following:

1. the organization’s name
2. website URL (if one exists)
3. detailed numbers of your need
4. a contact person’s name and contact information (email or phone)

Where can I connect with 3D Printing makers?

Not only is the handmade community coming together to support medical personnel with masks, but the 3D printing community is also doing their part.

If you have a 3D printer, they are requests for both face masks (similar to the N95 design) as well as face shields.

Below are groups that are connecting both hobbyist 3D printers and 3D printing businesses with each other and those in need.

National and International Groups

Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies on Facebook.

I mentioned this group above because it includes has makers of all kinds.

The beauty of this group for the 3D Printing community and beyond is that they are working directly with the medical community to provide the most sound and viable designs. They even offer an open source medical supplies guide.

//

3D Printed PPE This website was created to allow 3D printer owners find coordinated efforts in their area to produce 3D printed PPE — and offers a live 3D PPE printing stream.

//

COVID-1 Additive Manufacturing Response This hub “intends to connect those who need medical aid (Hospitals and Govt. Agencies) and those who can create it using Digital Manufacturing, for which MatterHackers has a broad base of customers to engage with.

Whether you are an individual with a 3D printer in your home, or you manage a manufacturing floor with 50+ 3D printers and digital fabrication tools, your support is needed.”

Area-specific Groups

I will continue to add groups as I find them. The 3D Printed PPE site is a great place to start looking for local-area groups. I am still listing local groups below when I find them or are contacted by groups who would like to be listed here too.

California

• Hoppe CA

Massachusetts

• Lowell Makes – COVID-19 Response

Donate Face Masks And Make A Difference

There are plenty of quotes I could cite here about how small groups can make a difference. The two that first come to mind are these:

1. “Look for the helpers” (Mr. Rogers)
2. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” (Maya Angelou)

In this case, I am hopeful that we ARE the helpers. I also hope that, like the Open Source group’s continual improvement philosophy, we do what we can until we know better, then do better.

Together, we can and will make a difference in our communities.

Share ideas for good deeds!