Cambridge Mask Makers Urgently Need Your Help

1.       WHO WE ARE: We are the Cambridge Mask Makers from Cambridge, ON Canada. Our group of volunteers consists of over 500 sewers, more than 50 drivers, and approx. 20 mask kit assemblers and cutters. Our organizing committee consists of the following 5 local women, whose roles are as follows: Carol Thorman—Mask Kit Assemblers & Sewers, Gail Wareing—Procurement, Kelly Thorman-Kleinschmidt—Admin & Cambridge Memorial Hospital Liaison, Michelle Jacques—Fundraising & Social Media Awareness, and Julia Sturgeon--Lead Driver & Girl Friday.

2.       OUR MISSION: Cambridge Mask Makers has been sanctioned by Cambridge Memorial Hospital through their CMH Sewing Mask Challenge  to provide hand-sewn masks using a pattern and materials approved by the hospital for low-acuity uses within the hospital, so they can save their supply of PPE for the frontline medical staff during the Covid-19 crisis.

3.       HOW THE FUNDS ARE SPENT: The funds collected from this campaign will be spent on purchasing supplies of fabric, elastic, thread and ties to create ready-made kits for our 500+ volunteer community sewers. Each kit contains enough supplies to make 24 masks, and each mask contains approx. $1 worth of supplies. Every single mask made from these kits is donated to Cambridge Memorial Hospital.

4.       OUR WITHDRAWAL PLAN: A designated bank account has been set up to receive the funds raised through our GoFundMe campaign. Orders for kit supplies are placed by our procurement officer, paid for personally, then reimbursed from this account.

The good news is that in just over 2 weeks, we raised almost $10,000 and delivered 10,000 masks to Cambridge Memorial Hospital, thanks to the generosity of our community! However, the need has become greater as CMH has broadened their use of the masks we're making, now being distributed to all patients—inpatients, outpatients, emerg and discharged patients, all visitors and support staff.

We are now at a critical point. Our Prime Minister has stated this could go on for months and so yesterday we set a new goal of $30,000, which if met, would take us through another 6 weeks of production and then we will reassess. It is important to add that any surplus funds will be donated to our three area hospitals.

We are extremely proud and grateful to every volunteer and every donor for the help they are contributing in any capacity, no matter how small, to keep our healthcare heroes and our community safe during these unprecedented times.