ProjectProtect Kits to Ensure Caregivers Safety is Now Available at Dixie Regional 400 East Campus

Utahns are leading a worldwide effort known as ProjectProtect to ensure that frontline caregivers who are treating patients with COVID-19 have the protection they need to be as safe as possible.

Southern Utahns are needed now to help complete this effort by picking up, sewing and returning medical grade masks. To volunteer, go to https://www.justserve.org/projectprotect and scroll to the bottom of the page where St. George appears at the end of the “Week 4” options.

ProjectProtect is a collaborative effort between Intermountain Healthcare, University of Utah Health, Latter-day Saint Charities, and several Utah nonprofits to enlist thousands of sewing volunteers across the state.

The goal of this initiative is to manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline caregivers, including more than five million medical-grade masks. This effort in southern Utah will help complete the volume of masks needed.

“We are excited to receive kits locally so the many wonderful volunteers we have here can help Utah achieve this critical goal,” said Cathy Hohn, volunteer services manager at Intermountain Dixie Regional Medical Center. “We can use every willing person to help sew, so please register through the Just Serve website and pick up a kit for your neighborhood or group of friends to help sew.”

Volunteers need to have a sewing machine, thread, scissors, and pins. Polypropylene fabric and instructions are provided. They will be asked to:

• Follow detailed instructions and use a sewing machine.
• Make 100 masks. Depending on the level of experience, each mask will take five to 10 minutes to sew.
• Spend 10 to 15 hours sewing, plus the time it takes to pick up the materials and drop of the finished masks.
• Register at https://www.justserve.org/projectprotect and receive an email confirmation with instructions. A printed copy of this confirmation email is necessary to pick up your materials kit at the Intermountain Dixie Regional Medical Center 400 East Campus.

“We invite all who are able and willing to sew medical grade masks to join us as we work together to ensure that caregivers battling COVID-19 have the equipment they need to stay safe,” said Dan Liljenquist, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Intermountain Healthcare, who leads this project for the company. “Your personal contributions to this effort will help save lives.”

All Utahns have the chance to get involved with this inititiatve. Gail Miller, chair of the Intermountain Board of Trusteees and owner of the Utah Jazz recently made 200 masks. Her family made another 1,800.