ColorBrightonGreen will be collecting home-sewn masks each Sunday from 9-1 at the Brighton Farmer’s Market. A dropoff box will be located on the main market information table. Cloth masks last longer and are washable. This keeps masks out of the waste stream and minimizes the likelihood they would be discarded randomly as litter. From the CDC page:
Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. Wearing a cloth face covering will help protect people around you, including those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and workers who frequently come into close contact with other people (e.g., in stores and restaurants). Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings. The spread of COVID-19 can be reduced when cloth face coverings are used along with other preventive measures, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.
The cloth face coverings recommended here are not surgical masks or respirators. Currently, those are critical supplies that should be reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders. Cloth face coverings are not personal protective equipment (PPE). They are not appropriate substitutes for PPE such as respirators (like N95 respirators) or medical facemasks (like surgical masks) in workplaces where respirators or facemasks are recommended or required to protect the wearer.
More information here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
We will distribute the masks for free to any community members who would like some. While any pattern is fine, here is a link to a good pattern: Homemade Face Mask Instructions | Community Health Network.
