BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — 16-year-old Alyssa Edwards and 17-year-old Kristin Logue didn't imagine they'd have full time jobs making face masks, but that's basically what their new volunteer effort has become.
They started sewing masks with their families three weeks ago and have already donated 800 to first responders and health care workers in need of non-N95 masks.
"We kind of just found a pattern online, cut it out and tried different ways," Logue said. "I feel like each week, we come up with a different idea of how to sew a mask."
"To make it easier and produce as many as possible," said Edwards.
They signed up to be the state leads for the national Masks Now Coalition, which connects volunteers with people who request masks.
"When we sent it to a respiratory therapist, they took pictures in the masks and sent them to us so it’s just good to see that we are making a difference," Logue said.
Among the other recipients, Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore County Police Department, where Alyssa's father is an officer.
"It made me feel really good because when I dropped off the masks they were all people that have known my dad for a really long time so being able to go in and talk to them and see his world a little bit was really interesting," Edwards said.
Even with the long hours, they still have 4,000 requests to be filled, with the demand growing every day.
Since Governor Larry Hogans Executive Order requiring masks be worn in all retail establishments, they’ve gotten a lot more requests.
"Between the two of us and our families, we are just not enough to make that much as quickly as they need it," Logue said.
They are looking for more volunteers, sewers of all experience levels, to help fulfill those essential workers, and now personal requests too.
"One person can’t make such a huge difference by themselves so to get as many people as possible would be ideal so that we can make that difference and we can keep people safe and healthy through this pandemic," Edwards said.
To sign up to volunteer, click here.
To request a mask, click here.
