Teen and Female Led Nonprofit Serves CA Community With Masks Free of Cost

In light of the latest CDC recommendation to wear masks and the requirement for San Francisco residents to wear masks in public, teens Michelle Song and Dalya Deuss founded Masks For All CA (MFACA) to provide free handmade face masks for all who need them most.

Sponsored by the sewing machine company Singer, AI service Lingolet, and SoulCycle, MFACA has been holding weekly mask drives for over a month, distributing masks to the most vulnerable San Francisco communities. Along with these drives, MFACA also donates to nonprofits, hospitals, and various organizations, most recently to the Richmond Senior Center. While MFACA was created in the Bay Area, they have also opened branches in Los Angeles, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York in hopes of continuing their mission in helping others.

They offer all masks free of charge, including shipping, to ensure their charity is equitable and available for anyone regardless of socioeconomic status. “At the heart of MFACA’s mission is our community, and thus we’ve always operated on a community first platform,” Song says. “By providing masks to California residents as well as larger nonprofit and professional organizations, we’ve been empowered to serve individuals from all walks of life at no cost to them.” So far in their 2 months of existence, they have donated over 1500 masks.

All masks are made by MFACA board members and a network of volunteers who each receive kits with all materials necessary to create them. The entire process is funded by sponsors and donors, with Singer donating their sewing machines for the cause. MFACA has also received over $13,000 in grants from BLING and the Youth Empowerment Fund, which goes towards mask materials and stipends for volunteers in need due to the pandemic.

The current circumstances have brought instability to the lives of many, with small businesses and those in travel, retail, and transportation industries hit the hardest. MFACA aims to not only make a difference in the lives of their communities during this time, but to also create hope. With a teen female board, they aspire to show the power and drive a young woman can have despite stereotypes about her age and gender. They hope to push these boundaries to create unity within California and the rest of the nation amidst this health crisis.

“In tumultuous times, plans are changed and livelihoods are compromised. Discord arises, but so does hope and camaraderie,” Song says. “Although 6 feet apart, we as a community have never been closer. It’s time to unite in the battle we all share, and I know that the future will be bright for us all.”

For more information, visit masksforallca.org

In light of the latest CDC recommendation to wear masks and the requirement for San Francisco residents to wear masks in public, teens Michelle Song and Dalya Deuss founded Masks For All CA (MFACA) to provide free handmade face masks for all who need them most.

Sponsored by the sewing machine company Singer, AI service Lingolet, and SoulCycle, MFACA has been holding weekly mask drives for over a month, distributing masks to the most vulnerable San Francisco communities. Along with these drives, MFACA also donates to nonprofits, hospitals, and various organizations, most recently to the Richmond Senior Center. While MFACA was created in the Bay Area, they have also opened branches in Los Angeles, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York in hopes of continuing their mission in helping others.

They offer all masks free of charge, including shipping, to ensure their charity is equitable and available for anyone regardless of socioeconomic status. “At the heart of MFACA’s mission is our community, and thus we’ve always operated on a community first platform,” Song says. “By providing masks to California residents as well as larger nonprofit and professional organizations, we’ve been empowered to serve individuals from all walks of life at no cost to them.” So far in their 2 months of existence, they have donated over 1500 masks.

All masks are made by MFACA board members and a network of volunteers who each receive kits with all materials necessary to create them. The entire process is funded by sponsors and donors, with Singer donating their sewing machines for the cause. MFACA has also received over $13,000 in grants from BLING and the Youth Empowerment Fund, which goes towards mask materials and stipends for volunteers in need due to the pandemic.

The current circumstances have brought instability to the lives of many, with small businesses and those in travel, retail, and transportation industries hit the hardest. MFACA aims to not only make a difference in the lives of their communities during this time, but to also create hope. With a teen female board, they aspire to show the power and drive a young woman can have despite stereotypes about her age and gender. They hope to push these boundaries to create unity within California and the rest of the nation amidst this health crisis. “In tumultuous times, plans are changed and livelihoods are compromised. Discord arises, but so does hope and camaraderie,” Song says. “Although 6 feet apart, we as a community have never been closer. It’s time to unite in the battle we all share, and I know that the future will be bright for us all.”