‘ROSIES’ ANSWER AIS CALL TO ACTION
Over 500 sewing enthusiasts across America have answered the call from the city-based AIS Inc. to help create up to 1 million high-quality face masks for essential personnel and people in their communities at high risk of COVID-19.
The Sew the Masks program — in just a few weeks time — has recruited more than 500 talented sewers from 40 states to use material kits donated by AIS and other corporate sponsors to create high-quality, reusable cloth masks designed and developed on the AIS manufacturing floor in Leominster.
As part of a partnership with the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, AIS will donate 10% of each donation made to the United Way in that region.
“The response to ‘Sew the
Masks’ has been overwhelming and a real testament to the commitment people have to helping their communities be safe and be part of the solution,” said Bruce Platzman, CEO of AIS. “Our patriotic ‘Rosies’ come from all walks of life and from all over the United States, and they are dedicated to helping fellow Americans. They are enabling a much larger effort to create high-quality, comfortable and reusable masks than would otherwise be possible. We are grateful for them and the growing number of corporate sponsors who are joining this effort to support the communities in which they live and work.”
The Sew the Mask program consists of four steps:
: Volunteer sewing enthusiasts — “Rosies” — request a kit of materials for the creation of 50 masks at sewthemasks.com.
: These kits ship directly from AIS with easy-to-follow instructions, precut materials and return packaging. Completed masks are returned in the provided packaging to AIS within 25-30 days.
: AIS performs a quality check on every completed mask and then ships boxes of masks to corporate sponsors and partners for distribution and dona
tion within their own communities.
“I have been sewing and quilting all my life. Now, being a part of the team at the ‘Sew the Masks’ project at AIS, I truly enjoy helping out in a significant way,” Kathie Peloquin, a local volunteer “Rosie” from Leominster, said. She has helped make or repair hundreds of masks to date as part of the program.
Three Ashburnham women were already working hard sewing masks for family members and their doctor’s office and got involved with the AIS Sew the Mask program because it seemed like a great way to help on a larger scale.
“It feels good to be doing something productive and helpful with our skills and our time at home. We will continue to sew masks until the need no longer exists. I would encourage anyone who has sewing skills to join the Rosies. It is a great way to help,” Therese Packard, of
Ashburnham, said.
AIS allocated a production line of its employees in early April on the manufacturing floor to make high-quality reusable masks using antimicrobial fabric for the covers and a nontreated, comfortable inner layer filter of nonwoven polypropylene. AIS masks are already helping protect health care workers at UMass Medical Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as well as first responders around Massachusetts and others at elevated risk.
For more information, to become a “Rosie” or to learn about corporate partnerships and sponsorship of mask creation and donations, visit sewthemasks.com.
AIS, headquartered in Leominster, is a leading manufacturer of commercial office furniture and boasts one of the most impressive stories of growth and success in the furniture industry. With locations across the U.S., AIS has more than 800 employees and over 1 million square feet of office, showroom and factory space.
For more information, visit ais-inc.com.