Local clothing company Wooly Doodle is shifting production from clothing to fabric masks, following a recent request by the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) for businesses to help in any way they can.
Wooly Doodle’s Elizabeth Suni, founder and president, said the company was able to work with its Toronto production company to adjust the production line to begin making non-medical fabric masks for donation.
“I was already thinking about ways in which we could use our Canadian-based supply chain to give back during this time. and when I saw the call out from our local hospital, I knew it was time to jump into action,” Suni said in a media release.
Working with her production team, Suni launched her donation program within days.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to help. Anyone wishing to donate masks, can visit our website and purchase any number of masks and we will work with the CKHA to ensure they get in the hands of those most in need,” Suni said.
The cost of each donated mask is $3.50.
“We have donated all of the fabric to this important cause and the donation cost itself goes directly to covering the cost of having them sewn by the production company employees,” Suni said.
Suni set a donation goal of 1,000 non-medical fabric masks and has already had more than 800 donations in just a few days after launching the program.
“Even during this time of uncertainty, I have felt a huge sense of togetherness within our community. We have the means to produce these masks and a community who wants to help and I knew if we worked together, we could really make an impact,” she said. “The number of local individuals and groups coming together to donate their fabric and supplies and sew masks, gowns and caps for essential workers and at-risk individuals has been truly inspiring. We are extremely proud to be part of this community.”
Working in partnership with the CKHA, the donated masks will be distributed within the hospital and the community. This will include going to patients who are in hospital and outpatient visitors such as oncology, dialysis and those coming in for diagnostic tests. The hospital will also work with several community partners to distribute masks as needed.
To learn more about the Wooly Doodle donation program visit: www.woolydoodle.com/pages/mask-donations
Additionally, any individuals and groups willing and able to make and donate non-medical fabric masks can do so by contacting Fannie Vavoulis, director, communications at the CKHA at fvavoulis@ckha.on.ca
