Our non-profit initiative, which ran from May 2020 until March 2021, created high quality, reusable and washable facemasks through crowd-sourced sewers across the country. These generous and talented sewers are our “Rosies” – affectionately and respectfully named after Rosie the Riveter, the cultural icon from WWII.
We partnered with agencies and businesses who helped us cover the cost of the materials which we shipped to our Rosies to use for the masks. Together with these sponsors, we donated high quality facemasks to first responders and those most at risk. For every 10 masks a sponsor committed to donate, we donated a facemask to the United Way for distribution across their network of charities.
We donated masks to schools, food pantries, homeless shelters, hospitals, fire departments, boys and girls clubs, elder care facilities, and more. AIS donated 26,000 masks to poll workers in 260 cities and towns and nearly 5,000 masks to 80 precincts in Washington, DC for use on Election Day 2020. Over 150,000 masks were donated to United Way agencies in the Northeast for distribution across their network. More than 100,000 masks went to charities suggested by our Rosies around the country. Our final initiative included sending 100,000 masks to seven cities from coast to coast.
Thank you to the many who helped with this amazing endeavor!
