Some days, Lyn Steinberg sews masks until 3 a.m.
To date, she’s made more than 150 masks and has orders lined up for 150 more. The sexaul assault nurse examiner has no plans to stop anytime soon. As long as there’s a need, she’ll keep going.
What’s more, Steinberg is doing so at no cost. For those who can pay, she’s asked that they consider a simple $10 donation to cover the cost of materials, but for those who cannot, they’re free.
“I decided that I wanted to give back to the community,” Steinberg said. “This is just a personal thing; in my soul, I just could not be comfortable with making a profit for something like this.”
In her role as a sexual assault nurse examiner, Steinberg works with the Camden County Proescutor’s Office; her husband, David, is a surgeon with Penn Medicine. A mother of five, Steinberg has long sewed, so when the mask shortage hit, she offered to create some of her own.
Her husband helped her design masks that surgeons and nurses would wear. Her creations have ties, which her husband told her were preferable to elastic bands. The masks also feature three layers of material and a pocket for a filter (though she’s not supplying that). She inserts a wire piece for the bridge of the nose and all of her masks are machine washable.
Steinberg started out by sewing masks for surgeons in her husband’s department, then sent masks to the couple’s children who work in health care. She also found herself sewing for people she knew who were immunocompromised and in need of protective covering.
From there, she went on Facebook and offered her services, and between Facebook and word of mouth, things took off. Seven days a week, Steinberg wakes at 9 a.m. and gets started. She makes the masks assembly-line style. First she cuts and washes the fabric to ensure it’s preshrunk, and then sews the main part of the masks.
While some sewers opt for elastic, the material isn’t as comfortable to wear, so Steinberg uses bias tape. The material is more costly than elastic, but she’s not willing to compromise quality for cost. A recent shortage of bias tape has Steinberg making bias tape of her own.
The process has largely been a team effort. With so many surgeries called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, David has been instrumental and helps her cut fabric. She utilizes three sewing machines, and when one recently conked out, he ran out, returning with a new one in about 15 minutes.
Steinberg is still working herself, but she said the pandemic has resulted in fewer calls. So she sews from dusk to dawn most days, while acknowledging that the nonstop pace has left her tired at times.
“What motivates me is listening to CNN or MSNBC and hearing about all the people who have become sick or died,” Steinberg not4ed. “That’s what reminds me why I’m doing this; that’s what keeps me going.”
For those who live nearby, she coordinates a drop-off, with the recipient picking up the mask or masks from her porch swing at a scheduled time. For those who live farther away or who can’t make it out of the house, Steinberg mails the masks. Word has spread so far via Facebook that she has sent masks across the country.
The feedback Steinberg has received thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. She said people are grateful to receive the masks, and she keeps receiving more and more orders. She’s since created a list and makes the masks in the order they’re requested; as of now, it takes Steinberg approximately a week to fulfill an order.
While no one is under any obligation to donate, she has asked those who can donate to give $10 purely to cover the cost of materials. Some have given above and beyond the suggested donation, enabling Steinberg to send masks free to those who can’t afford to pay.
“I feel like this is really something I need to do,” she said. “I need to feel like I’m making a difference.”
Those interested in contacting Steinberg can do so via her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Catnhats.
