It started with a vision and a simple conversation that turned into action. A month ago, Gavriela N. Guerrero, plant manager at Freedom Designs, took an idea and ran with it. While she was at home, watching coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw a news story on people making their own masks. She thought to herself, “our sewers can do this”!

Her idea not only helped create an even safer environment for the sewers at Freedom, but also created a boost in morale during the COVID-19 pandemic. The need to protect her essential team was a top priority, and they were eager to find ways to help during this crisis. Gavriela acted swiftly, grabbed existing fabric in the warehouse, and worked with the team to create a mask that was functional, protective and washable. This initiative created a sense of bonding and  togetherness that was unexpected. ‘It was really gratifying to see it all come together and show the camaraderie and excitement of the staff,’ Gavriela said.

After only 3 days of production, the team was able to ship 250 masks to Invacare’s Taylor Street plant in Elyria. Every employee at the Freedom Designs plant in Simi Valley, CA was provided a mask on a voluntary basis. The masks not only created a stronger community within the team, but also allowed them to avoid ordering masks from vendors who need to focus their energy on providing stock to those on the front lines. 

A special thank you to Gabie and her team!