For weeks now we have been sharing stories of sewing groups in small towns, making masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
A valuable but inexpensive tool in the fight against the virus.
"Hoping to make around 20 or 30 masks, depending on the requests honestly."
Eric Kim, a junior at Sunset High School, had seen a news report of a college student making masks for those hard at hearing or live life without sound.
"I immediately thought it would be, like, a really great idea."
His inspiration to help?
Students at a school for the deaf he volunteers at.
"When I thought of those kids, like, uh, like even normal masks right now are really hard to get. So when I thought about if they could even get those masks, like how they would be able to communicate with that."
So he started a campaign to raise money and build special masks with clear view of the mouth to allow people to see facial expressions and be able to read lips.
"They look like this. Um, so like, I, uh take like two layers of fabric, like a softer one on the inside and a harder one on the outside and then I, like, outline with pencil and then cut out, like, a square in the middle to put space for the clear vinyl fabric."
The masks do take a bit more time, but with each one Kim says he's getting faster and faster.
He says he's had people from all walks of life reach out to have one made, one of which a couple expecting a baby in a few weeks.
"Although they usually have an interpreter, like a family member, they couldn't bring them along because of coronavirus and like hospital restrictions. So, they basically requested a mask so that they could communicate with the doctor more effectively, so."
He adds the community has been stepping up as well, helping in any way they can.
"I actually received a request like a few minutes before this interview, about someone who works at a clinic with deaf and hard of hearing patients, so they also just recently requested a few masks. I think it's been stepping up a lot lately."
IN OTHER NEWS: