TAMPA, Fla. — The Mask Project Tampa Bay says it has already gotten requests from 12 different schools across the Tampa Bay area for more than 1,000 face masks for students and teachers.
Group leaders say the demand for these masks is growing rapidly, and they’re worried they won’t have enough supplies or volunteers to get everything done before school starts.
“I’m glad we have requests coming in now, that way we can start now as opposed to waiting a week or two out and we’re bombarded,” said volunteer Penny Foote.
Foote says they’re expecting to get daily requests from schools over the next few weeks.
One school asked for 100 communicator masks.
“They need them for the kids who are hearing impaired and they also need them for the teachers. Teachers have said students need to be able to at least see their mouth when they’re instructing,” said Foote.
The Mask Project Tampa Bay is asking anyone who works in a school and needs masks made to get their requests in as soon as possible.
“The sooner you get the request, the better. We’re filling them 100 at a time and then if we have the means purchase more material and the means to sew them, if we have more available we’ll certainly give you more than that,” said Foote.
The group donates everything for free and is asking for help from the community to meet the increased demand.
They need volunteers, materials like cotton fabric, thread, bedsheets, one-inch buttons, t-shirt yarn and monetary donations to buy supplies.
To contact the group to make a request, volunteer, or donate, send a message through their Facebook page, The Mask Project Tampa Bay.
