COVID-19: Opportunities for community members to help

Community members interested in helping with COVID-19 efforts can participate by creating masks, donating personal protective equipment (PPE), or sending greetings to residents at the Living Center.

The JH Community Mask Project, a grass-roots effort to create standard medical masks, is the brainchild of Keegan Pfeil, RN. Masks will be donated to St. John’s Health, with surplus masks going to other health providers in the community and region. For further information, including a pattern and instructional video, click HERE.

St. John’s is partnering with skilled members of the local Quilters Guild and other experienced sewers to create surgical masks, gowns, and other PPE the hospital and direct patient care team may need.

The mask project closely follows CDC recommendations in order to protect the safety of patients and staff. Masks will be distributed as appropriate by the hospital team. Hospital-grade masks will be preserved for staff and those on the front lines. All home-sewn masks will be laundered at St. John’s Health before use or distribution.

Businesses or individuals with surplus PPE, like non-powdered latex gloves, standard masks, commercial masks, N95 masks, face shields, safety goggles, and unopened hand sanitizer, can bring them to the main lobby of the hospital at 625 E. Broadway.

“The outpouring of community support has been overwhelming,” said St. John’s CEO Paul Beaupre, MD. “Many members of the community have asked what they can do to help, and these initiatives are critical to helping us conserve important supplies.”

Another way to help is by writing to St. John’s Living Center residents, who have been without visitors since March 10. They would love to hear from you. Please consider mailing a hand-written letter, poem, story, or picture to the residents to bring them joy during a time of isolation.

Letters can be addressed to:

St. John’s Living Center
c/o Connie Hansen
P.O. Box 3067
Jackson, WY 83001

For more information on these initiatives, and other ways to help, click here.

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Media contact:

Karen Connelly, St. John’s Health, 307.739.7380, kconnelly@stjohns.health