Seattle Mask Brigade

Questions? Email us at seattlemaskbrigade@gmail.com

Update: August 15, 2020

Hello wonderful Mask Brigadiers,

When we started the Seattle Mask Brigade back in March, we wanted to fill a temporary gap while the need for PPE was critical and supply chains weren't up and running yet. We couldn't have imagined how great the need would be, how many masks we would distribute, and how long we would be doing this. You probably felt the same way when you first signed up to volunteer! Yet here we are, six months and over 50,000 masks later.

We don't have to tell you that we're nowhere near finished with this pandemic, but our region is now in a much better place in terms of PPE supply. Requests to the Seattle Mask Brigade have been slowing down for some time, and our government and nonprofit partners have been able to reliably provide more masks to folks in need.

We have made the decision to wind down our operations, at least for now - hibernating, not closing. Should the need for PPE pick back up and start getting ahead of supply again, we'll be ready to spring (or at least lumber) back into action.

In the meanwhile, we are including some links below for people who may need PPE, or wish to contribute in the interim. Our email remains seattlemaskbrigade@gmail.com if you have any questions. And finally, thank you all -- the donors, the volunteers, and the groups who have been using donated PPE to help serve communities in need.

Where to donate & request PPE

INTERESTED IN 3D PRINTING MASKS, FACE SHIELDS, & OTHER PPE?

There are instructions for projects that have been reviewed & approved by medical professionals at www.getusppe.org/makers

In the Seattle area, Masks for Docs has been working on establishing distribution channels for "maker PPE": https://masksfordocs.com

There is a national Facebook group organizing under Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies, which has local affiliates across the country. There are other great designs for mask extenders, tyvek gown patterns, etc: click here

What Mask Type Should I Be Using? What are the different types of N-95 Masks?

The Centers for Disease Control have provided a Frequently Asked Questions document about Personal Protective Equipment including N-95 respirator masks: click here

About the Seattle Mask Brigade

We are a very small group of volunteers who organized to fill a temporary need for N-95 respirator masks in our hard working healthcare and social service communities. When we started in March of 2020, masks were in very short supply in many area hospitals and nursing homes. In the 6 months we operated, we worked with donors and volunteers to collect and distribute over 50,000 masks to residents of King County and western Washington.

The good news is that emergency operations systems and PPE supply chains have mostly come on line. Our hope from the very beginning was to become obsolete. It took about 6 months, but we finally trust that the system for PPE supply is largely working, so we are taking a well-needed rest, but are ready to stand up again if we see the situation deteriorate again.


Seattle Mask Brigade in the News

An article about the start of the Seattle Mask Brigade: https://www.fulllifecare.org/the-mask-brigade

Interview on BBC World Service (0:34 minutes in): click here

Buzzfeed: "Medical Workers Need Masks So A Grassroots Army Is Checking Basements, Garages, And Warehouses": click here

Daily Hive (3/18/20): "Volunteers are collecting N-95 masks to donate to Seattle hospitals": click here

CBS News (3/21/20): "How to donate personal protective equipment like masks and gloves to health care workers": click here

Business Insider (3/24/20): "People are donating their face masks in droves": click here

Seattle P-I (3/30/20): "It's National Doctors' Day -- here's how you can support healthcare workers in Seattle": click here

107.7 The End (3/30/20): "Call to Help: The Seattle Mask Brigade Needs Your N95's": click here

UW News (4/3/20): "Huskies rally to support COVID-19 need for masks, child care": click here

Parade Magazine (4/4/20): "How to Donate PPE to Health Care Workers on the Front Lines of the Coronavirus Crisis": click here

KUOW (4/7/20): "The Seattle Mask Brigade steps into the PPE breach": click here