March 25, 2020

The Avera Faith and Community Engage program, or F.A.C.E., seeks volunteers across the region to help craft cloth face masks for use in hospitals and clinics because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health system is not facing a shortage of masks but is providing information because volunteers have been asking for ways they can help, a spokesman said.

The guidelines, instructions, materials and patterns are included in an online story, “How Can I Help Sew Masks for Health Care Workers?” You can find it at AveraBalance.org.

Creating cloth masks for patients and employees now can help assist in the further conservation of personal protective equipment.  These homemade masks will help extend what is available to providers, nurses and others.

Avera Foundation leaders from Sioux Falls, Yankton, Mitchell, Aberdeen and Pierre, and Marshall, Minn. will coordinate drop-offs or pickups of the masks. The online story has contact information for each regional foundation, as well as a mailing address for those who want to contribute.

You also can email [email protected] for more information on making donations or masks. Foundation members will make sure all donations go to sites where they are most needed.