Higher education institutions join in ProjectProtect to sew 5M masks

During May, all of Utah’s institutions of higher education joined other nonprofits and charitable organizations in addressing the national shortage of personal protective equipment. Through these efforts, ProjectProtect reached its goal to produce 5 million medical-grade masks to protect frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effort was led by Latter-day Saint Charities, University of Utah Health and Intermountain Healthcare. More than 50,000 volunteers participated in the project over a five-week period. A number of other nonprofit organizations and corporations donated to the effort, including the Tony Finau Foundation, doTerra Healing Hands Foundation, Intermountain Foundation, University Hospital Foundation, Stitching Hearts Worldwide, the Utah Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the church’s Relief Society, Beehive Clothing, Deseret Industries, Deseret Transportation, JustServe and Dominion Energy.

Of the 5 million masks sewn, 300,000 masks were donated to the state of Utah for public use and 200,000 masks were donated to Latter-day Saint Charities for use for vulnerable populations.

“We are deeply grateful to our higher education institutions, community organizations and the many other volunteers who helped to produce 5 million masks which will help protect our frontline medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dave R. Woolstenhulme, interim commissioner of higher education. “Our institutions saw a need and stepped up to assist. I want our frontline healthcare workers to know that we are here for them and we thank them.”

Universities, colleges and technical colleges in Utah added a dimension to the project through the “Sew Your True Colors” campaign. Higher Education leaders asked their campus communities to sew masks using thread in the color of their institution so that frontline caregivers will know that Utah’s higher education community supports them when they use the masks.