The past few weeks have been tough on everyone. For us, we found ourselves with a calendar full of markets and festivals that have now been cancelled. Our business is now essentially shutdown until we get past COVID-19.
However, there are people that this crisis is affecting far more than us. Healthcare workers across the country including ones right here in Atlanta are facing dire shortages of PPE. Many hospitals are now reusing masks or trying to fashion homemade ones to protect themselves and their patients.
Which is where we have stepped in. Over the past week our company has donated our time and materials to sew masks for over 20 hospitals and medical facilities around Atlanta. We are part of a larger Facebook group of volunteers and supporters (over 5000 and growing) that are working directly with hospitals to sew masks that meet their specific needs ensuring that every mask we make is safe and used to fight this pandemic. You might have even seen or read about us on the news, like this article! So far, our group has made and distributed 2000 masks. This is small compared to the number of masks requested from our local hospitals, senior centers and homecare nurses. Just yesterday, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta requested 4000 masks needed ASAP.
Pocket masks allow nurses to insert new
filters before each use
A batch of pleated pocket masks ready for packing
Masks are packed up to limit exposure.
Masks are collected and distributed
without direct human to human contact.
So far, The Domesticated Engineer has made over 500 masks using materials that would not have been used to make the products we sell. However, we have depleted much of that stash and are getting ready to start using fabric that would have been used to create napkins, unpaper towels and beeswax wraps.
Which is why I’m asking for your help. If you are looking for a small business to support during this time as well as do something to protect your community, I would love for you to consider donating to our cause. We will gladly sew masks night and day and donate all of the fabric and thread in our inventory. But without our community helping to offset the material cost, we simply will not have the capital to reorder fabric for the products we know you love once this crisis is over. We currently enough fabric and thread to make over 2000 masks.
We have hundreds of yards of material that can be used with your help
Our masks in action at Grady Hospital
We want to reward your donation. Every donation over $10 will receive a coupon for 25% your total purchase of up to $100. That means you could donate $10 and get $25 in savings! Your coupon will be sent to you immediately after purchase and will be valid online or at local events (once they are up and running again). We kindly ask that you wait to use your coupon so that we can focus our efforts toward sewing masks at this time.
If you’re ready to help support our local medical professionals and claim your 25% off coupon click the button below to donate now!