After the California State government requested that all citizens use face coverings when going outside their homes, the Tzu Chi San Francisco branch office sprang into action.
People were asked not to wear medical masks, since first-responders and healthcare workers are facing dire shortages, so cloth masks were in order. Tzu Chi volunteers quickly began sewing masks at home, prepared packaging, and soon, these gifts of personal protective gear were ready for donation.
To begin, Tzu Chi is distributing the cloth masks to its volunteers and their family members. The local delivery process has become a labor of love and care and a chance to reconnect while socially distanced. For those who live farther away, the packages of masks will arrive by mail.
Tzu Chi USA is also sending masks to organizations it collaborates with, such as the American Red Cross, helping to protect their volunteers as well. We’re all in this together!
