The Navajo Nation currently has the third highest percentage of COVID-19 cases in the US and the most active cases in the state of AZ. Upon learning of this emergency need, a unique collaboration coordinated by the Northern AZ Volunteer Medical Corp and Northern AZ Healthcare has resulted in filling some of their PPE needs. As a result, an anonymous donor supplied 10,000 meters of material which can make 4500 reusable isolation gowns. AZ Apparel Foundation is donating approximately $18,000 worth of the total sewing costs. On April 29th, an organization called With Love From Strangers arranged for private planes to quickly fly the first portion of the completed gowns to their destinations within the Navajo Nation. 250 gowns went to Gallup, 150 gowns went to Ft. Defiance, 100 gowns went to Chinle, 150 gowns went to Shiprock, and 100 gowns went to Kayenta. 450 more gowns have also been sent to Northern AZ Healthcare system. And more of these gowns will continue to be sewn.
To further address the needs of the Navajo Nation, Dignity Health provided 10,000 yards of the material they had purchased for their own isolation gowns and FABRIC has provided the gown patterns and tech packs. The AZ Nation Guard picked up the material and patterns from FABRIC and delivered it to three sewing facilities within the Navajo Nation to be completed.
Next week FABRIC will be cutting and sewing 300 gowns to be provided to Tohono O'odham and a volunteer participating in the1 Million Gown Challenge will be completing 70 gowns to deliver to Coolidge and Tohono O’odham in the next week or two.
This is so awesome. Thank you all for your service to community.