Hello, all! We wanted to provide an update about the Face Mask Project we started on April 12. As of this writing, we are donating 7,200 masks and sold 4,500 masks for a total of 11,700 masks to help supplement other supply chain efforts.

Since the masks started to arrive from Poland last week, we have distributed more than 1,600 masks to eleven local organizations or groups in need:

• South Lane Fire (Cottage Grove, OR): This was in support of the Make Masks project, helping to reduce their requests.
• El Programa Hispano (Estacada, OR): This was in support of the Make Masks project, helping to reduce their requests.
• Meals on Wheels: 107IST member request & partner organization
• Aloha Community Library: 107IST member request
• Mooberry Elementary: 107IST member request
• Woodburn Elementary schools: 107IST member request
• Join PDX: 107IST partner organization
• Providence Sports Care Center: 107IST member request
• Family Solutions: 107IST member request
• SnowCap: Asked for assistance
• The Alliance of Guardian Angels: Asked for assistance

Family Solutions picking up their masks

More than 5,000 masks are arriving this week and next. We are hopeful to be able to get all of the masks we ordered from the first two batches in a very timely manner because we know there is a severe need in our community. We are in contact with each organization that has been suggested to us to ensure that we understand their needs and whether they can come pick up the masks or we need to deliver them to their office.

But we are also hearing about how the demand for masks is much greater than our initial effort, which is why we have started taking orders for our third batch of face masks! This event will remain open for the next couple of weeks, but we have already placed an order for 2,000 masks, with 1,500 earmarked for donation. Our hope is that this third batch will arrive in Portland the second week of June to help get masks to folks as soon as possible. We have, however, experienced some delays with supplies, customs, and shipping schedules during the pandemic. We will communicate to participants as we learn more about the anticipated dates.

Please consider supporting this project even if you personally have enough face masks. We have heard from many organizations that there is a lot of concern and worry about how to help those most vulnerable at this time — be it the elderly, houseless neighbors, low-income families with young children, immigrants and refugees ... the list goes on. We want to do what we can to help our partner organizations provide face masks to the people they assist, as well as their own staff and volunteers.

Right now, we cannot quantify the demand for face masks. As you saw with the list of organizations above, most of these masks were supplied because our membership saw a need and reached out. Now we are ready to reach out to local organizations to officially ask them what they need.

You may have already read about the new mini-grants we’re offering. In addition to applying for the mini-grant, we are asking applicants if they have mask needs. We are hopeful to be able to supply them with face masks — but we need your support.

To order, please visit the event registration. You’ll see some differences this time:

First, there is a bit of a price increase from April. This is because of an increased price for supplies and because we were part of the initial learning for our production house, Euroscarves. Since the first couple of runs, they have been able to have a better sense of the cost of production, and these new prices reflect that. As with the first two batches of masks, the 107IST is selling these masks at cost.

So, we're now offering two different price points or options:
You can buy and donate 107IST-branded masks or blank masks. For both branded and blank masks, there are five options:

• Give 5
• Buy 5, Give 5 (shipped)
• Buy 5, Give 5 (pick up)
• Buy 2, Give 8 (shipped)
• Buy 2, Give 8 (pick up)

If you would like to add multiples of your order, enter a number in the guest registration. If you would like to order different sets (such as Give 5 + Buy 2, Give 8), you will need to place separate orders.

If you are having technical difficulties with registration, please email us! We’re happy to help.

Finally, to those who have already participated in this project, a very big thank you!! Without your awareness and willingness to help the community, this project would not be as successful as it has been. We are hopeful that this effort will continue to grow!

To give a quick breakdown of who participated in this project to date:

• 1,113 people in 29 states have helped fund this project.
• 765 107IST members participated, which is more than 70 percent of the orders!