From community member Gloria Gomez:
Mask sewing has been something that is very much needed and rewarding to do. After completing an Internship with Casa Alitas Program they offered to donate masks to the Community. We began by distributing behind the church and around the community and I mentioned that we should continue to sew more.
I figured if they could do this for us, we could also continue to keep making them so I began by selling some hand embroidered masks and then bought fabric with the money collected. Mr. Chris was also on board after turning me down, but I’m sure he was joking.
I then sought out for the Grant to help in purchasing more items and supplies needed. When it was granted, I was excited and asked several people to help and got a handful of friends and family to help from ironing, cutting to sewing.
My sister Rachel helps with the cutting and ironing as well as Terry Romero. My other sister Lynette helps with the distribution. There’s also Olivia who reached out and said she could sew. I was happy to get this going.
One of the rewards is seeing the Community members and hearing how grateful they are to get them. What makes it more valuable it seeing the community come together during this pandemic they even have brought us food or drinks when we are giving the masks away that’s what community is about.
We have been sewing an average of about 300 a week and we have been distributing to Marana -Yoem Pueblo, Happy Food Pantry and whoever sends a message requesting them.
We plan to keep sewing as long as we can and as long as they are needed!