BALTIMORE (WMAR) — When the Mayor of Baltimore advised last week that everyone cover their face in public, it became apparent that a lot of people still needed face masks, so an unlikely partnership between a D.C. fashion designer, Johns Hopkins and McCulloh Homes was born.
Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos learned through community calls with his nonprofit, Medicine for the Greater Good that McCulloh Homes and other city housing units needed masks for tenants.
They immediately tried to find places to donate, knowing that COVID-19 was not hitting everyone equally.
"Populations with an increased housing density are getting ravaged more than others so homes where a lot of people live in close quarters such as these, this is where face masks need to be emphasized more than anything. We can quarantine yes. We can wash hands but this is what is going to prevent one individual from another from spreading it," said Galiatsatos.
An intern with the nonprofit happened to see a post by a fashion designer she had modeled prom dresses for. Trerese Roberts in D.C. was making masks and looking for places to donate.
"She had messaged me and said, 'Hey, I was wondering if you could donate some masks for this wonderful housing unit in Baltimore?'," said Roberts.
She said yes, of course. Prom dress fabris became masks and days later, the first drop off. The handful of masks were gone in a few minutes.
"I think that everyone deserves to be happy and healthy so being able to make a difference is really important to me. And the most important thing is doing it because you have a good heart and not for profit but because people need it," said Roberts.
This was just the first delivery of many. Roberts is waiting for a shipment of supplies to arrive. Masks will also be going to other housing units too, who have requested masks through Medicine for the Greater Good.
