Make Masks, Save Lives!
In early April, The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade rallied hundreds of volunteers to its Most Mask Makers Challenge: to make as many cloth masks as possible to protect nurses, agricultural workers, disaster feeding plan volunteers, County Public Health workers, homeless shelter workers, grocery store checkers, and others. In the last 3 weeks, 230 volunteers sewed over 6832 masks, which are being delivered throughout Santa Barbara County now!
The Bucket Brigade is now launching an ongoing project, “Make Masks, Save Lives!”, to continue its work unleashing the power of community. The goal is to recruit another 200 volunteer mask makers, along with support volunteers delivering materials and picking up finished masks to take to the many who need them for protection. Our goal in May is to ramp up to production of 2500+ masks per week, to cover and protect as many County residents as we can!
Volunteer “sewists” and delivery drivers have teamed up to create a team of Mask-Making Superstars. The Bucket Brigade now calls on all ‘sewists,’ quilters, sailmakers and seamstresses, to use their sewing skills to make masks and save lives.
Volunteers, who don’t sew, can help by delivering mask materials and finished masks in Santa Barbara County. Together we can do this!
Volunteers can sign up here: https://sbbucketbrigade.org/make-masks-save-lives/
The Bucket Brigade will supply free materials, pick up the finished product, and then professionally wash and deliver masks to critical service heroes working to keep Santa Barbara County moving forward during the pandemic.
The Bucket Brigade has roles for all who want to support our community during the pandemic. Donations of materials and money are the critical underpinning of this life-saving effort: for more information on how to give, visit: https://give.sbbucketbrigade.org/campaign/donate- now/c201634
“Make Masks, Save Lives!” masks will offer protection for hospital, health, hospice, and residential care workers; front line public safety workers; the unhoused and their support staff; government and public health staff; and other groups with increased risk. Requests for masks can be submitted here: https://sbbucketbrigade.org/request-face-coverings-for-critical-service- agencies-here/
“The Bucket Brigade was founded in 2018, to help our neighbors in their time of need, and to build community out of crisis.” says Executive Director and Co-Founder Abe Powell. “In 2020, we remember what community solidarity means in a time of crisis. We will use each of our individual skills and abilities to help others. We will pull together and fight this pandemic with all the people, tools, and resources we have now and with new ones we will invent and deploy. We are a part of a movement filled with love and determination and we welcome you all to join us.”
Cooperation is our Superpower. For more information, visit www.sbbucketbrigade.org Special Thanks to Our Partners: Mission Linen, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners, The City of Santa Barbara, Montecito Association, Rusty’s Pizza, SBC Mask Network, Jewels by the Sea, Santa Barbara County Sheriffs and Powell Peralta!
