The Town of Westbrook has embarked on two mask distribution efforts: one to deliver surgical masks to local essential businesses and the other to provide homemade masks to those in need.

Homemade Masks

Social Services Coordinator Elizabeth Carpenter is coordinating with a number of entities, including the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, to collect and distribute handmade cloth masks to those in need. Working with Carpenter are Noreen Saunders, the physical therapy supervisor at the Westbrook Visiting Nurses (VNA), and Rebecca Rowe Indich, the town’s mental health representative.

“For the community, for people who sew, we have some materials” that can be picked up at Town Hall, Carpenter said.

She is also looking for donations of materials for mask making as well as actual masks sewn by volunteers.

According to CDC guidelines, masks should be constructed of fabric with a “very tightknit cotton weave,” said Carpenter. “I have specific patterns and also ask that people pre-wash the material, and then deliver the masks [to Westbrook Social Services] in plastic bags.

“I’m having them construct masks that have a pocket in them,” she continued. This will allow the insertion of a “coffee filter, which increases the ability to keep the bacteria out...up to 50 percent.”

As of May 11, two bins will be placed under the overhang at the rear entrance of Town Hall between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

One will serve as a collection bin for those dropping off sewn masks. This will be a new, clean trash bin that is opened by stepping on a pedal. A second bin will be stocked with masks, in men’s, women’s, and children’s sizes, individually wrapped in plastic bags.

The overhang will keep the masks dry, said Carpenter.

Notices about the sewing project and the availability of masks will be placed on the town website westbrookct.us and on the Social Service Department’s Facebook page, she said. Local churches have been asked to put the information in their bulletins, as well.

“I’ve gotten about 130 or 150 masks from the United Way,” she said. “I’m also working with the Old Saybrook Rotary Club,” which has obtaining and distributing personal protective equipment to local organizations.

“I’m not sure what’s coming my way” from the Rotary, Carpenter said. “It could be masks, Purell” hand sanitizer, and/or gloves.

Carpenter has provided the VNA with masks to present to its clients, as well.

“The nurse from the VNA goes into people’s homes all the time and they want the client to wear a mask,” she explained.

Carpenter is also exploring options for getting masks to those who are housebound and unable to pick them up, she said.

Those interested in donating materials or masks or picking up materials to make masks may contact Rebecca Rowe-Indich at 860-917-9493 or rrowe03965@gmail.com. For other questions, call Westbrook Social Services at 860 399 3090.

Masks for Essential Businesses

Emergency Management Director Don Izzo and Westbrook Health Director Zachary Faiella were asked by First Selectman Noel Bishop to notify Westbrook businesses about a state program offering surgical masks to local, essential businesses with no more than 50 employees, according to Izzo.

Qualifying businesses, as determined by the state program administrators, would receive two masks per employee.

The town itself does not have the budget to purchase masks for distribution, Izzo said.

The two Westbrook departments worked to contact Westbrook businesses via “websites, social media accounts, and telephone reverse notifications” to inform them about the state program and encourage them to register, Izzo said.

Businesses were required to fill out a form via the website of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, which partnered with the state.

The Connecticut National Guard then delivered the total requested number of masks to each town.

“For Westbrook, my department was directed to pick up the allotment, along with the roster for distribution,” Izzo said by email. “The masks were not sorted by business. Emergency Management took the allotment, breaking them up by business.”

A total of 1,110 masks were distributed on May 6 to 38 Westbrook businesses, he said.