When Qui Funk said she wanted to make homemade masks for the community, people thought the idea was ridiculous. But now, with the help of her family and friends, more than 1,000 masks have been made and delivered to hospitals and nursing homes around Hampton Roads.
Funk heard about the shortage of masks because of the coronavirus pandemic and knew she had to do something to help.
“I knew I couldn’t do it myself,” said Funk who first enlisted the help of her sisters, Li Li Slayton and Noel Mahler, along with friend Teresa Ly to help with making the masks. “Li Li’s living room has turned into a sewing room.”
Funk and her family have delivered masks to more than 10 different locations, including Sentara Williamsburg and Sentara Princess Anne Hospital. On their website, Sentara says while they are taking every measure to conserve and appropriately allocate personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves, they may need additional supplies and welcome donations.
Agape Home Care said thanks to all of the donations, they don’t have a huge need for more masks right now, but still welcome donations of homemade cloth masks since they don’t know when the pandemic will end. Morningside of Williamsburg, an assisted living facility, said all donations help and that everyone there is healthy, and they want to keep it that way.
Funk and her family also gave masks to Williamsburg Landing. Lisa Bates, their marketing coordinator, said they are starting a kindness fund so more people can donate, also.
“We have surgical masks back-ordered and we don’t know how long we’ll have masks,” she said.
Slayton said they would usually get elastics to make the masks from Amazon, but the company won’t be able to deliver any until May. She also enlisted the help of a friend in California, who was able to collect elastics and quickly ship them to Virginia.
“I called her Sunday afternoon and Monday morning she shipped it to us. We got the elastics on Wednesday,” Slayton said. “It’s amazing what people can do when they get together.”
Funk and her family are still in need of more elastics and cloth so they can continue making masks for the community. They hope someone can help them get more. They are also in need of more seamstresses, so anyone who knows how to sew in the area can reach out to them. Funk can be reached at quifunk@yahoo.com.
They will also be giving away masks this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at New Town Nail Spa, located at 5202 Monticello Ave., Williamsburg.
Cleo-Symone Scott, 757-446-2270, cleosymone.scott@pilotonline.com
