11 of the Best Face Masks Made by Young People
DoSomething members have made over 40,000 DIY masks to protect vulnerable populations.
Date Published: March 4, 2021
As we approach the anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown here in the US, many people -- including myself -- have been dealing with the anniversary effect, which is when difficult feelings surface on or near the anniversary of a significant event. But whether you’re grieving, sad, angry, or just plain exhausted, there are still reasons to keep your head up. Maybe that reason is President Biden recently announcing that having all US adults vaccinated by the end of May is now achievable.
Or maybe that reason is that in spite of the overwhelming obstacles that young people across this country continue to face during this pandemic, they continue to step up. For example, DoSomething members have already made over 40,000 masks for themselves, their loved ones, and their community through our Masks For All campaign. Many even donated to homeless shelters and other places serving vulnerable populations, where a surge in COVID-19 cases this winter made meeting COVID-19 safety guidelines particularly challenging.
If you’re in need of some positivity and inspiration these days, scroll down for just 11 amazing examples of young people looking out for their neighbors by creating DIY masks. Then, sign up for Masks For All to get a step-by-step guide on how to create your own masks (no sewing required)!
1) DoSomething member Misheel, 18
“I’ve donated 57 homemade masks to Think Dignity, a nonprofit organization in San Diego, because of the shortage of masks many of us faced. I made over dozens of masks for my friends and family. Not only is wearing a mask the right thing to do as told by the CDC, but wearing a mask means keeping our family, our neighbors, and the stranger we pass by on the street safe. Wearing masks symbolize the kindness and humanity in all of us during the time of COVID.”
2) DoSomething member Ciara, 18
“This pandemic has been whirlwind from the start. My family and I have had to take severe precautions to protect each other and ourselves from getting sick including masks and online school. We can’t risk getting my grandparents sick. They are very high risk. So creating these masks was both a fun creative project to me but an important project to protect my loved ones. I’m going to donate some of them to my local Habitat For Humanity and I plan to make more for my extended family out of state.”
3) DoSomething member Sudip
“This campaign is important to me because I believe that everyone should be staying safe as they can during this pandemic. These masks may not be the best but are definitely better than nothing. I will be donating all of these masks to hopefully keep more people safe. I want to help as many people as I can any way I can so this is one thing I thought I could do to help people.”
(Fact check: These masks are, in fact, the best.)
Use our guide to make a DIY mask for yourself and vulnerable communities.
4) DoSomething member Edward, 15
“This campaign is important to me because I care very much about our vulnerable population in these times. By creating these masks, I am able to keep those who are in dire need of protection from the pandemic safe!”
5) DoSomething member Ari, 19
“This campaign, to me, symbolizes the resiliency of the human race and how caring we are for each other. Even though wearing masks can be a bit inconvenient at times, we pull together and wear them for our community. We do it to help save lives, whether they are our loved ones or complete strangers. Wearing a mask is such a small, yet kind gesture. It gives us a sense of community solidarity by showing how much we care for each other. This is why DoSomething's campaign is important to me. This campaign inspired me to paint face masks with a symbolic message, rainbows! Rainbows remind me of the current COVID situation because I am reminded that after every storm, a rainbow appears. They symbolize hope, resiliency, and solidarity, everything that the human race possesses! They remind us that every storm shall pass, and boy, has this been a long storm! Years from now, the human race will realize how resilient we all were in the age of COVID. Hopefully, we will learn to cherish each other more because of it, and realize that every storm has a rainbow that awaits us in the end.”
6) DoSomething member Madelyn, 16
“To tell people to mask up! Wearing a face mask will save many people's lives and keep people healthy. My masks will keep people safe in a fashionable way. I just started my own face mask small business because I want people to continue staying safe, and I'm saving up for college.”
7) DoSomething member Ashley, 15
“This campaign is important to me because masks have now become an everyday use so it’s important to make them for others who don’t have them so that we can protect each other and stop the spread.”
8) DoSomething member Melanie, 14
“This campaign is personally significant to me because various relatives, including my grandparents, have been infected with COVID-19. In order to prevent one from experiencing the unwanted afflictions of this virus, I heartily encourage individuals to utilize any sort of masks. Although wearing a simple medical face-covering is extremely plentiful, fabricating or purchasing a preferable designed mask creates confidence. I sewed six masks from Mexican designs my grandmother embroidered, this has allowed me to display a glimpse of my Hispanic culture. A countless amount of adjustments are available for the purpose of shaping a comfortable endurance. Overall, there’s no excuse when it comes to protecting family, friends, front-line workers, and the public.”
9) DoSomething member Ramla, 15
“I realize that there are many people who are struggling to keep their jobs during this pandemic, but there are also so many people who are homeless avid this pandemic and they need all the assistance they can get. This campaign is all for helping people who need help, which is why I made these masks.”
10) DoSomething member Tia, 20
“As Community Service Chair for a club on my college campus, I'm excited to help throughout my community. I'd like to set an example of how taking a little time out of your day can make a huge difference to someone else!”
11) DoSomething member Jaxson, 16
“My grandparents are very important to me and they are at risk. We spend a lot of time with them and I understand how important it is to social distance and Mask Up. I am blessed to have several masks and I want to make sure others that aren’t as lucky as me have some protection against this virus.”
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