In partnership with our friends at Something Labs, Get Us PPE is launching a grant program and curriculum-based cohort to kickstart DIY manufacturing groups. We are interested in making and distributing disposable gowns.
We’re nearing the anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. A PPE shortage crisis has ravaged our nation, and a new normal has many Americans stuck at home. If you’re feeling pandemic burnout and want a break from the endless news cycle, Get Us PPE has got the right distraction! Consider joining our mission to get Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the communities that need it most.
The Need For Disposable Gowns
The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affects smaller healthcare providers who lack the purchasing power to properly stock their PPE inventory. The PPE shortage crisis leaves smaller communities that are not served by large hospital systems vulnerable to the virus, resulting in dire consequences during a third wave.
Further, the industry is still unable to fill the PPE demand. Such is the case with disposable gowns, which are currently the second-highest requested PPE item (after N95 masks). Thus, Get Us PPE needs makers to fill in the gaps.
The Maker Cohort PPE Program
Get Us PPE celebrates the maker community for filling pressing, short-term PPE shortages with innovative designs. With the Maker Cohort PPE Program, Get Us PPE aims to support and bolster distributed American DIY manufacturing.
The program will consist of six maker groups across the country. Each group will receive $5000 in funding to set up the manufacturing of Impermeable Gowns. The grant program will include a curriculum that will ensure the best practices from experienced gownmakers in the production process. Additionally, it will set up and material sourcing, outreach and distribution, team management, and feature mentorship from Something Labs, Nation of Makers, Artisan’s Asylum, OSMS, and Get Us PPE.
Volunteer from Home
Our volunteers tell us The Makers Cohort PPE Program offers them the opportunity to give back to the community without leaving their homes. Alejandra Velasquez, an aspiring surgeon who previously led several volunteer projects throughout Central Florida through the Hands on Orlando organization, is one of those volunteers.
After the pandemic broke out, she found herself searching for ways to give back to her community from home. She tells Get Us PPE, “making gowns was an amazing opportunity to help all of our healthcare workers on the frontlines.” Through the Makers Cohort PPE Program, she became involved in gown production, giving back to a community she hopes to one day join. “This is a great way to continue giving while being safe,” Velasquez said. “The gown making process was different than what I expected,” she says, adding that “once production began, everything started to fall into place.”
The Makers Cohort provides instructional materials to assist makers with gown production.
Applying to Make Disposable Gowns
Applications for the PPE program are now open! There’s no experience needed to sign up. Our team of experienced gown producers will work with you every step of the way! They will be available to help advise and consult on the process, whether you want help with sourcing materials, finances, distribution, or the production itself.
For more information on the grant program, feel free to view our pre-recorded informational webinar. At this initial webinar, we introduced an overview of gown production and manufacturing considerations, including materials, equipment, labor, budgeting, and distribution. After viewing the webinar, we invite groups to fill out this application to become a grantee and part of the cohort.
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A $5 donation can supply a frontline worker with an N95 mask.
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