SUMTER, S.C. — A Sumter church is working to help the community during the COVID-19 outbreak by making face masks for those in need.
Members of Bethesda Church of God have made about 130 masks over the last week and a half by using scrap materials, donations, and some of the supplies that would have been used for costumes in their Easter performance.
It started as an effort to help one member's niece whose doctor's office was in need.
"Since we’re not able to have a regular church services, this is a way that we can still give to the community and help the community out by giving the masks to the people who need it," Jackie Sims said. "We said well, we'll jump on that and we'll make masks for this doctor's office and then it just kind of blossomed from there."
They started receiving calls to help make masks for nursing homes, hospice care workers and other essential personnel.
"Gets emotional when I see people who have that need," Sims said. "You know, it's such a small thing, but it makes them very happy that they can have that protection."
They are accepting donations of fabric and supplies to assist. If you would like to help, visit them here.