April 15, 2020 -- As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts life as we know it, shortages in the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been tremendous challenges for healthcare facilities all over the nation. These medical supplies are vital to workers safely doing their jobs and protecting themselves from infection.

Since COVID-19 attacks the respiratory system, face masks are especially in high demand, but difficult to obtain in large quantities. Nanci Ballard and a group of talented crafters in Nashville have combined their skills to provide a homemade solution for healthcare workers caring for the most vulnerable.

"While all medical professionals need protection, long-term healthcare providers usually have only small amounts of PPE on-hand," said Ballard who works as the pharmacy service specialist at Turenne PharMedCo in Nashville. "However, these facilities are dealing with the population most at risk in the pandemic. Their need is dire."

In March, Ballard put her networking skills to use to find out how she could best aid long-term healthcare workers. Armed with advice from a friend in infectious disease research and a face mask pattern that was approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she set out to help.

"I started a Facebook sewing group and asked for volunteers within my area. People came out of the woodwork!" she said.

Helping others despite challenges

Initially, there were about 20 sewing volunteers but that number soon ballooned. The project got to be such a handful that Ballard joined forces with another group of volunteers so she could continue to work full-time and have help managing the sewing and safe delivery of face masks. The Facebook sewing group now has more than 330 members.

"It's crazy. I have met so many interesting people who just have big hearts," Ballard said.

Originally, the first group of volunteers had a goal of 3,000 masks. Collectively, the two groups have made more than 5,000 face masks and the volunteers are still going strong even through challenges.

"One volunteer, Kim Hussey, owns a shop in East Nashville. She lost her storefront in a recent tornado and is sewing from home while quarantined," Ballard said. "Another lady is in her 70s and switched gears from volunteering for tornado clean-up to sewing masks."

The project has also garnered support from a local JoAnn's Fabric and Crafts store. Ballard brokered a discount for volunteers that bought their fabric from the store. The store even provided customers with face masks cut-outs to use as a template.

In addition to volunteers who donate their sewing talents, the project relies on the delivery services of people like Ballard's husband, Frank, and a few friends from her Bible Study group. They have been logging some serious miles picking up supplies and delivering finished masks. Her friends also write notes to healthcare workers to include in packages of masks. Ballard gives sole credit to the volunteers' collective efforts for making the project possible during these difficult times.

"It's a challenge to purchase supplies, get them to seamstresses, pick up finished masks and deliver them to long term care homes without having any human contact," she said. "But, we've managed."

How to help

Volunteers are still needed to work as seamstresses, pattern cutters and deliverers. Donations of supplies and financial support are also needed. For more information, call Nanci Ballard at 866-720-7626 Ext. 3203 or visit Volunteer Mask Makers COVID-19 Nashville on Facebook.