NJ Front Line Sewing Angels Launch 'Read My Lips' Mask

SPARTA, NJ - Inspired to help their own deaf children, JoAnn Gregoli and Christine Preston, founders of the nationally-recognized Front Line Sewing Angels mask-making initiative, wanted to develop a mask that would allow for lip-reading.

People with hearing loss typically rely on visual clues including lip-reading to understand spoken language. As long as mouths are covered by face masks, as they tend to be during the COVID-19 pandemic, deaf and hard of hearing people will struggle to participate in conversations.

Additionally, doctors, dentists, therapists, and other caregivers who work with children and adults alike don’t want to hide their friendly smiles behind an intimidating mask.

Now, there’s a face mask to address these issues: the Read My Lips mask shows mouths and facial expressions while offering the same protections as a regular face mask.

Made from 100 percent cotton with a clear vinyl window, the Read My Lips mask offers a comfortable, snug-fitting, adjustable design. The Front Line Sewing Angels have hired professional seamstresses to manufacture the Read My Lips mask to sell to the public. A portion of the proceeds from these sales support the group’s volunteer effort to provide hand-sewn masks of all kinds to frontline workers and underserved communities across the country.

Sewing Angels volunteer Cristina Phaneuf of Bumbleroot Design adapted her favorite mask pattern to create the design. She maximized the cotton area around the nose to help with breathability and reduce fogging, and she uses durable and flexible 12 gauge vinyl for the clear window.

The Front Line Sewing Angels are a grassroots group founded in New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic to address the lack of personal protective equipment healthcare workers need to stay safe. The group provides masks and surgical caps to hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, community centers, and women’s shelters to address this critical need.

To date, the Sewing Angels have donated more than 25,000 masks and 8,500 scrub caps to more than 60 facilities across the country. The group has more than 475 volunteer members who sew, cut material, and donate supplies.

To contribute to the Sewing Angels’ effort, please visit sewingangels.org, join the Facebook group, or donate to the GoFundMe campaign.

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