Im proud to be part of this: Makers and Crafters are taking action to fill PPE gaps

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Last edited Thu Apr 16, 2020, 02:52 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/04/15/in-brief-1700-masks-in-17-days-being-made-in-oakland-for-those-at-risk-in-need/?fbclid=IwAR3-AJC3bFr8JPUi7MbMnLDvzDMuccAwK0yyKSnDm43sM1gu-HhNMuPS_mw

OAKLAND
A group of local artists and makers is turning idle hands into life saving PPE (personal protective equipment) for essential workers, and the clock is running. The ambitious project dubbed “Distill My Heart — 1700 Masks in 17 days” is the concept of Rachel Sadd, aka “the Crafty Avenger.”

“I saw where the supply chain was broken for these at-risk workers,” Sadd said. “And I was not working, so I decided I could help.”
Sadd, in conjunction with Oakland businesses Ace Monster Toys and Circuit Launch have hit the ground running at full speed to ensure their masks can be distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Bay Area. With a large donation of materials from the American Distillery Institute, and a team of makers, sewers, fabricators and distributors, the project launched this week on Monday, and the first masks were to go out Thursday.

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I am actually working on this project and am amazed at the tools and people that are putting together this huge undertaking...! Using 2 shared space facilities that have laser cutters and industrial sewing machines, workers and helpers are in clean workspace with gloves, using CDC guidelines and patterns, this is just awesome.

Not only that, but they are raising money to PAY the people that are stepping up to make these so those who are out of work can earn something too.

It's also really fun because the initial material is from canvas type bags that were to be used for a conference, that was cancelled - so the American Distiller's Institute (really? that's a thing?) donated it all to the Makerspace, and that's what started the whole idea. Today, we got some fun cocktail syrups to take photos of with the masks and cross promote to get the word out more.

we even had the Bay Area PPE group donate lunch to workers today at both facilities...to be delivered via no-contact.

It's always a great feeling when you get something published, but even better when it is for a good cause!

ALSO huge point: this whole operation is set up and organized so that other similar industries and collaborations of "makers" can use the model and do the same ANYWHERE!

Amazing people doing amazing things in challenging times

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1. I posted recently that I have been pretty depressed... now I have something to do!

That's yet another plus right? a reason to actually get up on the morning amidst all this crap....

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2. K&R Update....I actually might get the AP to pick up this story!!!!

Dude, you realize that the Bay Area market alone is the 6th in the US...(i'm used to very small town media, so I feel like a starstruck fangirl)

so we got picked up in berkeley,

out of a dozen ppl I spoke to as I followed up today, only 2 were like "meh"

got an AP San Francisco bureau person to give me her personal email

fingers crossed

The great thing about this is that the project model could be re-implemented in other cities

I would love to see this take off even fi all we have is stopgap right now, it's something.