Week #1 - Michael Kim - Covid Sewing

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Van Quan was forced to shut down her nail salon. In order to pass the time at home and help her local community, Quan took to her sewing machine to help with the shortage of masks.  

Quan has three machines set up on her dining room table for her and her friends to sew at least three times a week. 

Quan believes the masks are not only a way to pass the time with her family and friends, but also a way for her to give back to those who risk their lives in the healthcare field. 

Quan and her colleagues have donated hundreds of masks to nurses in various hospitals in the Philadelphia area. 

Most of the material that Quan uses to make the masks are either bought by herself or donated to them from local fabric companies.

Although her usual job as a nail salon owner doesn't call for much sewing, Quan has taken her time to make sure each mask is made perfect for the nurses who wear them. 

Quyen Vu, a registered nurse of Oncology at Einstien Hospital in Philadelphia, stopped by to pick up masks for her fellow nurses. Many nurses, due to the shortage of N95 masks, wear these cloth masks over their respiratory masks to preserve them for longevity.