Please help. Physician Moms PPE Drive this weekend, more homemade masks needed

Homewood masks drive Please help. Physician Moms PPE Drive this weekend, more homemade masks needed
Volunteers at the Physicians Mom group mask and PPE Drive at the Homewood Library, on March 21, 2020. Photo courtesy of Kellie Tapley

Birmingham, while you shelter in place  this weekend, here are three projects you can work on to help combat COVID-19 here in the Magic City and Alabama.

Physician Moms PPE Drive – Homewood Library – March 28-29, 9am-3:00pm

PPE Homewood Drop off Please help. Physician Moms PPE Drive this weekend, more homemade masks needed
Physician Moms are running their 2nd PPE drive this weekend at the Homewood Public Library. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now

You know what to do. This is the 2nd weekend PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) drive hosted by the Birmingham Physician Moms group. They have added some additional items to last week’s list.  Please take some time and gather items.  Let’s keep  our healthcare professionals safe.

  • Surgical masks and N95 masks
  • Gowns
  • Shoe covers
  • Face shields
  • Bouffant caps/head covers
  • Reusable googles

PPE Drive 1 Please help. Physician Moms PPE Drive this weekend, more homemade masks needed

For infection prevention reasons, when you donate, the group is asking people to physically place the items in a box at the Homewood Library site- 1721 Oxmoor Rd, Birmingham, AL 35209. There will not be hand to hand contact or exchange. They will have Lysol wipes and hand gel on hand.

PPE Drive 2 Please help. Physician Moms PPE Drive this weekend, more homemade masks needed
From the Physician Moms Homewood Library PPE Drive on March 22. Photo by Dr. Kathleen McKeon

Donated items will be distributed locally to healthcare professionals combating the coronavirus outbreak, including UAB and nearby hospitals.

A Permanent PPE Birmingham Pickup Site

This is good news.  Jefferson County has a new daily (except on weekends) donation PPE collection center.

Here is the info:

The site: Christian Service Mission Warehouse, 3600 3rd Avenue S – Birmingham, AL 35222.

The following items will be considered for donations:

  • N95 Masks
  • Surgical Masks
  • Isolation Gowns
  • Gloves
  • Face Shields
  • Sterile Specimen Collection Swabs

Drop-off hours: Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon)

  • Please note that only unopened packages and supplies will be accepted. The supplies must also be undamaged.

Face Mask Sewing for Birmingham Healthcare has a Website

Fabric Masks Potter Please help. Physician Moms PPE Drive this weekend, more homemade masks needed
“My daughter checking the fit and size for me. This was her fabric of choice for her mask (Harry Potter).” Photo and mask by Amy Atchison

What started as a Facebook group page on Friday, March 20th has turned into an army of dedicated people making face masks for healthcare professionals throughout Alabama.

The group now has 3700 members AND A WEBSITE – Bham Face Masks .

Here is what they have accomplished per their update last night.

  • Total requests for Face Masks from healthcare facilities: Over 5600 masks
  • Face Masks distributed on Thursday March 26: 580
  • Face Masks distributed scheduled for Friday, March 27: 811

They now have 4 permanent donation sites:r

    • M,W, F -Summit/ AMC Theaters – 10:00 am – 11:00 am
    • Tu, Th, Sa-Brookwood Mall/Macy’s Parking Lot -3:00 pm-4:00 pm
    • M-F -Bibb and Tucker Sew-Op – 10 am-11am 4915 5th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222
    • Joanne Fabric’s Hoover- Drop off during normal business hours

Dropoff Instructions

    • Bin will be located 15 feet from volunteers vehicle
    • 1 person at a time out of vehicles
    • Drop bag containing masks into bin
    • Notify volunteer how many masks you are dropping off

According to WBRC Fox 6, the Jefferson County Department of Health is accepting homemade masks.  Earlier this week, Bham Now published a story about the effort featuring homemade masks from volunteers.

Fabric Masks 23 Please help. Physician Moms PPE Drive this weekend, more homemade masks needed
“The nutcracker- because I’m one of many who sew for Birmingham Ballet Academy. The director allowed us to “raid” the sewing supplies for this project. Photo and masks by Martha Ingraham Mackay

Stay tuned.

Contact Bham Now about efforts to combat the COVID-19 crisis. Also, support LOCAL businesses, visit our NEW Local Business Guide for delivery & curbside info and discounts.

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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