VNA Hospice among Health Agencies to Order Masks from Nonprofit Organized by Pacific Grove Teens Given the nationwide shortage of personal protection equipment (or PPE), some health-related agencies have had to expand their search for items such as face masks. Pacific Grove, CA, April 18, 2020 — Given the nationwide shortage of personal protection equipment
(or PPE), some health-related agencies have had to expand their search for items such as face masks. Central Coast VNA Hospice found some help from a Pacific Grove family who has launched an innovative nonprofit called Masks for Monterey County. Toula Hubbard found a way to keep her kids active and connected through a Girl Scout service project. Her two teenagers created the nonprofit to connect mask makers with healthcare professionals, essential workers and those in need. Toula, a life and wellness coach, lives in Pacific Grove with her husband Chris, her daughter Thalia, 16, and son Niko, 15. “Gratitude and a sense of belonging are important to wellness,” she said. “So volunteering and gratitude are basic principles that clients learn to exercise and my children have been raised with.” The registry at www.masksformontereycounty.org is two weeks old and already has more than 4,000 requests, with more and more seamstresses added each day. Currently there is a worldwide shortage of protective face masks, which help slow the spread of the virus. VNA Hospice has ordered 300 masks from MFMC, and will be receiving them each week in batches of 30. Most of the masks are typically made with 100 percent cotton fabric. “Honestly it doesn’t matter what type of mask is made,” Toula said. “We just need the masks and we will match the mask type to the appropriate group.” What they call AB masks have a spot for a filter, and are prioritized to health care workers. Some masks are simply cloth, great for those interacting with the public, such as grocery workers, postal workers and essential employees of all types. “We have some people who have asked that masks be made to cover the N95 mask,” she said. All masks are reusable, and each recipient is instructed to sterilize between each use.