We did it! 2 months, 2,100+ masks donated!
We love you and are delighted that this has been a time of much ministering and service! Thank you to all who helped with this project in any way—big or small—everything made a difference. Some of you sewed, some cut, some drove or inspired or did tech help. You were ALL needed! THANK YOU!!
We called this project “Masks One by One” because we have focused much of our Relief Society work over the last year or so around this idea of serving as Christ did: one by one. One by one He let the multitudes feel His hands and see the wound in His side. One by one He blessed the children.
During this stay at home experience I personally have learned the power of one person—a thoughtful phone call, a neighbor chatting on the front porch, or a friend driving across to town just to show me their new mask design is often just what I need. Each and every mask was an act of love. It didn’t matter how many masks we made at our house and how much we improved our system—we never could get away from the fact that each and every mask had to be cut out of a unique piece of fabric, ironed, sewed, ironed again, pinned, sewed again, and ironed again! Each one needed individual care and each one will find a unique owner.
Thank you for making this possible and for being so generous with your time and skills. Please continue to reach out to those around you and those you minister to in love. I thought I’d leave you with the final verse of a hymn written by David Bednar called “One by One”:
One by one, one by one.
Christ looked around Him and saw their tears.
One by one, one by one.
In His compassion, He calmed their fears.
Jesus Christ healed each one brought forth unto Him.
Then He blessed each precious child and prayed for them.
The angels descended from heaven above,
Encircling those little ones; each felt His love.
One by one, one by one.
He intercedes for each daughter and son.
One by one, one by one.
Strength from His grace gives us pow’r to become,
One by one.
We love you!
Stay updated on service projects via the @SeattleServe social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also find the general Seattle North Stake Relief Society accounts on social media as @SeattleNorthRS.
Love,
Jenni & Michelle, and the Stake Relief Society Presidency
(thoughts by Jenni Currit, Stake Relief Society President)
Donated Mask Stats
TOTAL MASK COUNT:
2,100 (Updated 7/1)
MASKS MADE FOR FAMILY/FRIENDS:
436 (Updated 7/1)
MASKS MADE FOR COMMUNITY RECIPIENTS:
1,664 (Updated 7/1)
THIS WEEK’S COMMUNITY RECIPIENTS:
ALS Evergreen Chapter. The ALS Association is the only national not-for-profit health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS. ALSA covers all the bases — research, patient and community services, public education, and advocacy — in providing help and hope to those facing the disease. http://webwa.alsa.org/
# of Masks Received: 80 (Updated 7/1)
New Horizons. Since 1978, New Horizons has partnered with youth experiencing homelessness in Seattle on their journey toward housing and sustainability. https://nhmin.org
# of Masks Received: 90 (Updated 7/1)
HIGHLIGHTED COMMUNITY RECIPIENTS:
El Centro de la Raza. As an organization grounded in the Latino community of Washington State, it is the mission of El Centro de la Raza (The Center for People of All Races) to build the Beloved Community through unifying all racial and economic sectors; to organize, empower, and defend the basic human rights of our most vulnerable and marginalized populations; and to bring critical consciousness, justice, dignity, and equity to all the peoples of the world. http://www.elcentrodelaraza.org
# of Masks Received: 90 (Updated 6/23)
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic. In 1973, healthcare for migrant and seasonal farm workers was almost non-existent. Underfed, poorly clothed and with little to no education, the farm worker community was facing a health crisis that was not being addressed at a local or national level. Respected physicians cared deeply about this ‘forgotten’ community and, together with a group of committed care providers, set up the clinic in a small house made out of plywood and built by VISTA volunteers. YVFWC has grown to become a Joint Commission-accredited community/migrant health center, and is the largest community based health center in the Pacific Northwest. https://yvfwc.com
# of Masks Received: 90 (Updated 6/16)
Sound Generations. Sound Generations was established in 1967 and is constantly striving to expand Food Security, Transportation, Health & Wellness, and Assistance Services to meet the diverse needs of our growing aging population in King County. We are committed to helping low-income, marginalized, and underserved populations navigate the resources they need in a community that affirms and respects the aging process. https://soundgenerations.org
# of Masks Received: 75 (Updated 6/16)
Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center. A community where horses transform the bodies, minds, and spirits of people with disabilities. Since 1976, they have led the effort to help those with disabilities to lead more enriched lives through adaptive horseback riding and hippotherapy. https://www.littlebit.org
# of Masks Received: 43 (Updated 6/8)
Rainier Beach High School. Rainier Beach is a comprehensive high school that seeks to empower their students to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and compassionate leaders through the support of families, staff, and community; and to excel academically and creatively in a multicultural world. https://rainierbeachhs.seattleschools.org
# of Masks Received: 114 (Updated 6/8)
REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade). Founded in November 2009 by a small team of women, REST is an organization that offers a full continuum of care with programs that provide relationship-based, survivor-centered, and trauma-informed services to individuals who have experienced the sex trade. https://iwantrest.com/home
# of Masks Received: 120 (Updated 6/4)
Austen Everett Foundation. The Austen Everett Foundation works to empower kids in their fight against cancer through the strength and support of professional and collegiate athletic teams. https://www.austeneverettfoundation.org/
# of Masks Received: 240 (Updated 5/28)
Neighborhood House. Founded in 1906, Neighborhood House is one of the oldest social service agencies in the Puget Sound region. Neighborhood House partners with diverse individuals and families to build community and achieve their goals for health, education and self-sufficiency. https://nhwa.org
# of Masks Received: 180 (Updated 5/18)
International Rescue Committee. The IRC responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. They are collecting masks for newly arrived refugees. https://www.rescue.org/
# of Masks Received: 117 (Updated 5/11)
YouthCare. YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential. https://youthcare.org/about/
# of Masks Received: 255 (Updated 5/2)
Mary’s Place. Mary’s Place provides safe, inclusive shelter and services that support women, children and families on their journey out of homelessness. Since 1999, Mary’s Place has helped hundreds of women and families move out of homelessness into more stable situations. https://www.marysplaceseattle.org/
# of Masks Received: 100 (Updated 4/25)
Lake City Drop-In Center. Serves people experiencing homelessness with drop-in hours during which time people can access: laundry facilities, showers and hygiene, community kitchen, internet and phone, resource referral, food closet, nursing care, personal storage, blankets and clothes, and a safe, secure place to just ‘be’. https://seattlemennonite.org/community-ministry/
# of Masks Received: 50 (Updated 5/2)
Have photos to share? Send them to us at SeattleNorthRS@gmail.com!
What’s Next?
While the formal structure of this project is coming to an end that should not be an excuse for us to stop serving!! Here are a few ideas to keep going:
- Keep sewing masks! There are still many organizations asking for donations. We found great opportunities on the United Way website. If you want to continue sewing masks with others please email SeattleNorthRS@gmail.com and we can connect you with others who still want to sew masks and you can continue doing that together!
. - If you are done sewing masks but you would still like to use your sewing skills to do service we invite you to join our Relief Society sisters who have been doing sewing projects for several years in the Humanitarian Collective. In normal times they meet at the stake center weekly, but they are now sewing from home. Here is an invitation from them:
For those who would like to continue serving with your creativity and talents check out the Humanitarian Collective on JustServe.org. This is a small group of women (men are also invited) doing various projects collaborating with such agencies as Days for Girls, Jewish Family Service, Providence Hospital, SCM Medical Mission, Children’s Hospital, Yakima Farm Workers Clinic, Mary’s Place and other NGOs.
Kits are available to work on at home. You can choose a project that fits your level of interest and time.
For more information contact SeattleNorthRS@gmail.com and we’ll put you in touch with someone in the Humanitarian Collective.
. - Of course there are many ways to serve—call a friend, send a note to your ministering sister, hold a child, wear a mask, listen a little more. You are fabulous people!
Downloads/Links
We’re putting all of the links to patterns we’ve used, plus tips we’ve received to help make mask-making easier, and any other similar useful information here. Please scroll to find what you are looking for.
NOTE: Since there are so many links here, we made some links blue with a ⭐ before them to highlight good places to start in each category.
KAISER PERMANENTE FACE MASK PATTERN
⭐ Kaiser Permanente Face Mask Video (YouTube Link)
CRAFTPASSION FACE MASK PATTERN
⭐ CraftPassion Face Mask Sewing Pattern (link to craftpassion.com)
⭐ CraftPassion Face Mask How-To Video (15 min, YouTube Link) (Thanks to Michelle for making this!!)
Alternate video: CraftPassion Face Mask Video (Official Video, 22 min, YouTube Link)
Alternate video: CraftPassion Face Mask Video (12 min, YouTube Link)
Alternate video: Sewing Face Masks for Beginners (35min, YouTube Link)
NYT FACE MASK PATTERN
MISC MASK-MAKING TIPS/INFO
⭐ How to Make Fabric Ties in 5 min (YouTube Link) (Thank you, Michelle!)
Tip for Making Bias Tape Mask Straps (YouTube Link)
Important Notes
- These are not N95 or approved PPE and are not intended for clinical use.
- Masks should be sanitized before donating, made in a clean environment, etc. Kits have instructions on how to do this or see instructions in the Downloads section, above.
- Make sure recipients know that your masks are homemade and they should wash them before using.
- Avoid in-person contact while doing this–this is NOT an opportunity to start gathering in groups or undo all of the good that has been done with “Stay Home Stay Healthy”. (All transfers of materials should done on porches, etc, and you should be careful to use good hand-washing habits throughout.)
- Remember masks are NOT a replacement for social distancing. Cloth masks like this are mostly useful as one additional way to reduce the number of particles you spread to others when it is absolutely necessary to be around them.
- DO NOT make masks to donate if you or anyone in your household is sick!!
One by One 