NORRISTOWN, PA — It takes a village to protect a county, and few know that better than the volunteers at Masks 4 MontcoPA, a cohort of residents freely offering their time and supplies to make homemade face masks for residents in need.
The work of Masks 4 MontcoPA is coordinated by Tammy Tarloski, Community Information Content Manager for the Department of Health and Human Services in Montgomery County.
Tarloski said the idea for the group was born early in the coronavirus pandemic from discussions within county government of how people can obtain masks. She said she created the Masks 4 MontcoPA Facebook group, but its growth has been largely spurred organically and through collaboration.
Tarloski said she originally created spreadsheets directing “sewists” — a combination of sewing and artist — to requests from those in need of masks, but the approach proved unnecessary thanks to the commitment sewists have to