Mineola moms band together to create PPE for essential workers

Emma Jones
Operation PPE Mineola has so far distributed more than 2,900 pieces of personal protective equipment. (Photo courtesy of Linda Ramos)

A group of volunteers in Mineola is organizing the production and distribution of personal protective equipment for healthcare and other essential workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The group, Operation PPE Mineola, has so far distributed more than 2,900 pieces of PPE, including face masks, head bands, head covers, visors and elastic catchers.

 The group’s founder, Miriam Shelvin, came up with the idea in late March. Shelvin, a school nurse at Plainedge High School, initially consulted her friends Terry Galan and Michelle Resigno about the possibility of forming a volunteer group that would produce and distribute face masks.

“I messaged Terry and Michelle because I was hearing from my friends on the front lines they were running out of PPE,” said Shelvin. “They were told they can use bandanas and cloth coverings. I thought maybe our drama mamas could come together and sew masks to help our local nurse moms at the very least.”

Operation PPE Mineola had its first request for bouffant hair covers March 26. A day later they began developing ideas for making visors using report covers, foam and headbands.

The volunteers reached out to a resident at NYU Winthrop Hospital, who told the group what equipment was most needed.

Shelvin then put out calls for sewing volunteers and donations in community Facebook groups and received a barrage of responses.

“The response for volunteers and donations of materials was overwhelming,” Shelvin said. “A friend and local Mineola mom put me in contact with a lady in Oceanside, Cynthia, who headed up a group named New York COVID-19 Mask Cover Project. She donated 30 yards of fabric and 200 yards of elastic to get us started.”

Operation PPE Mineola continued to grow throughout April, expanding its production and distribution operations. The group currently has over 100 active volunteers. Shelvin and Galan received a thank-you letter from state Sen. Anna M. Kaplan, while Assemblyman Ed Ra recognized Operation PPE Mineola’s work on Twitter.

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