The Chatham Arts Council is pleased to announce Masks for Many. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has brought community challenges that we couldn’t even imagine a few months ago. Though it’s been recommended that people work from home to maintain social distancing, there are some jobs where this is not possible. Vital workers at medical facilities, grocery stores, drug stores, and delivery services continue to work to feed their families and support our community, but they are risking their lives to do so. These workers often don’t have the equipment they need to protect themselves, leaving them at significant risk for infection.
We are partnering with a consortium of concerned citizens to seek donations that will be used to cover materials costs and pay a small stipend to artists creating cloth masks for donation to local businesses, essential workers, healthcare facilities, and more – as these folks continue to work in public, while many of us work from the safety of our own homes. We are particularly focused on distributing masks to protect vulnerable populations of color in Chatham County.
We’re doing this with the help of local textile and costume artists who are also struggling with the huge economic impact of the pandemic. Our goal is to provide financial support to artists whose normal income streams have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, while providing needed protection to vulnerable community members who are at risk.
The cloth masks will be:
- Made from two layers of 100% cotton
- One size fits most (children’s sizes are available upon request)
- Machine washable
Even though these masks will NOT be medical grade (N95), they ARE designed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for use by the general public. And they look good, too.
Need Masks to Help Protect Your Employees?: Are you a business or organization in need of masks? Click here to let us help you.
Make a Financial Gift: Now is the time to stick together as a community. Can you help us? 100% of your donation will cover materials costs and a small stipend for the artists and makers who are working to help protect others in this pandemic. If you can support this effort, click here. Thank you!
We are grateful to all the workers who risk their lives every day for us. Help us help them. We’re in this together.
