Coronavirus News: Long Island group creates comfortable masks for frontline workers

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

LI group creates masks for frontline workers battling COVID-19

Lauren Berger and Jennifer Frank are just two out of 150 active volunteers that work for a group called Moms Making Masks. Volunteers are responsible for creating masks or delivering them to local hospitals.

LONG ISLAND, New York (WABC) -- A group of moms on Long Island are dedicating their time to making comfortable masks for frontline workers battling COVID-19.

Lauren Berger and Jennifer Frank are just two out of 150 active volunteers that work for a group called Moms Making Masks.

"We like our workers out there to know that they're really appreciated," Berger said.

Volunteers are responsible for creating masks or delivering them to local hospitals.

"We give them out in handfuls," Berger said. "And it's probably our most wanted product line at this point are those extenders. Because it's so comfortable. Their ears, I feel so bad for all of these frontline people, their ears are cracking."

The fabric and elastic used to create these masks are all donated, and the extenders placed on face covers are more comfortable on a person's ears.

Smith is a seamstress, and she gets up at 5 a.m. to start sewing. She can make a mask in seven minutes and has made almost 900 by herself so far.

"I would do anything for all these people, because they are the most essential people right now," she said. "Not the people who make $400,000. It's the grocery workers, the nurses."

When the masks are finished, they give them to sanitation, restaurant workers, police and firefighters. The task is important, and they've got everyone covered.

"They're made with love and people's time, and there's no price tag on that," Berger said.