Care Corps Vegas (Vegas Maskateers)
Care Corps Vegas was started by Amanda Richey, a registered nurse with a masters in healthcare administration. Last year she started the group Vegas Masketeers which gave out over 15,000 FREE masks to those in need in Las Vegas! Now she is well underway starting a new nonprofit, Care Corps Vegas which will provide necessary supplies and medical care to the homeless of Las Vegas.
Amanda isn't waiting for her official 501(c)3 to get going. She already has many volunteer medical professionals including EMTs, nurses, nurse practitioners and even doctors on board helping out. Here is what they are up to:
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Volunteering their medical skills to those living in the tunnels underneath the Las Vegas strip. They are escorted by the nonprofit Holy Smoke - Misfit Missionaries. In the tunnels they have been helping in multiple ways: They offer medical advice, help with medications and medication management for chronic conditions, wound care, they advocate for anyone wanting or needing to be seen by a medical provider/specialist, and they also help advise people interested in drug or alcohol treatment, getting jobs and obtaining housing.
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About once a week Amanda goes to a location near G St and W McWilliams handing out various supplies and basic Over-The-Counter medications with The Compassion Initiative LV.
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A group of volunteer medical professionals provide a pop-up wellness clinic at CARE Complex one weekend per month.
Vegas Maskateers: Amanda is the Founder of Vegas Maskateers and that program continues to go strong, but she has lost most of her sewists. Together they sewed over 15,000 masks. They have developed a program working with the Homeless where they provide multiple opportunities throughout the week and month for the Homeless to exchange their masks for clean ones. Through this they have given out somewhere over 7,000 masks directly to the homeless. We will be helping Vegas Maskateers continue to mask the homeless in Las Vegas.
what are we crafting?
Item Requested | Craft Type | Quantity Requested | Quantity Still Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
Masks: Child | Sew | 300 | 0 |
Masks: Tween/Teen | Sew | 100 | 0 |
Masks: Adult | Sew | 1000 | 212 |
Soap Sacks | Knit/Crochet | 500 | 122 |
Warm Winter Hats | Sew/Knit/Crochet | 50 | 33 |
Gloves/Mittens | Sew/Knit/Crochet | 50 | 43 |
project must-knows
1) Pandemic Relief: Masks
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2 layer Masks (no filter pocket needed, but it's okay if it has one as long as it is still 2 layers)
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Nose wire preferred unless you make the 3d style mask
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Masks are primarily for Adult Men and larger sizes are requested, however they do need masks for females and have recently run out of children's masks to distribute and have asked for kids masks for ages 5-16 for all genders.
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Adjustable ear loops are preferred as it makes the masks fit anyone,, this is not required.
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Fabric: Star Wars, Avengers have been popular in past give aways so be creative! There is no restriction on the fabric you use.
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This location greatly appreciates it if you individually package your masks and label them by size. This is NOT a requirement however. As they distribute all of their masks on the streets, packaging them individually allows persons to sort through and find just the right mask for them without contaminating the others. If we package them it saves our charity partner time from having to do this and the masks can get distributed faster!
Our suggested mask patterns may have filter pockets, a filter pocket mask is essentially a 2 layer mask so is acceptable, however filter pockets are not required and this partner is accepting straight 2 layer masks.
2) Soap Sacks - We are collecting knit and crochet soap sacks for them to distribute.
3) Warm Winter Items - Hats & Gloves. These can be sewn, knit or crochet and will be distributed to adults. They serve more men then women, however then need both sizes. Temperatures in Vegas dip down into the upper 30s in the winter time. They need warm winter hats and they also need fingerless gloves and regular mittens or gloves. If you sew these items, we ask that you use no-pill fleece and single or double layer items will both be okay.
OTHER ITEMS:
Cosmetic Bags - A zippered cosmetic bag is used by Care Corps Vegas to put feminine hygiene products in. At this time we are not crafting these items, however, If you have clean/new IPSY bags, feel free to send them as they will be accepted!
Cooling Scarves - This is a SUMMER ONLY PROJECT! We are creating cooling scarves for the homeless that they serve March-October. So if you have the supplies, feel free to make them to save for our collection period during late spring and summer. Do not send now, they do not have storage to collect them. However we leave the pattern up year round for those that like to plan ahead.
masks
We Can Sew It (Rosie)
The original "We Can Sew It" aka Rosie pattern. Can be easily modified to add elastic on the sides by using a bias tape strip instead of ties! Adult size only.
Japanese Sewing Book 3D
Easy 3D (origami) style mask (no nose wire required)! Pattern & Video!
soap sacks
Soap Sack Tags
A link to S.A.C.K. website for their tags to attach to your Soap Sacks!
Crafting Change Recommended & Tested Yarn List
Recommended & Tested Yarn List for all crafting change partner projects
warm winter items - knit
Crafting Change Recommended & Tested Yarns
Approved Master Yarn List for all fiber arts projects
warm winter items - crochet
Crafting Change Recommended & Tested Yarns
Our recommended and tested yarns for our partner projects
Super Simple Fingerless Mitts
Skills needed: US double crochet, crocheting in the round, chain, slip stich
warm winter wear - sewn
Tips & Tricks for Working with Fleece
A great place to start if you are new or newer to working with fleece or just looking for expert advice on how to handle this fabric.
Warm Winter Wear Zoom Room Video
Video Recording of Zoom Room Class by Kathy Lawrence on multiple patterns!
Project Overview Sheet
Project Overview Sheet for Winter hats & mittens for Care Corps Vegas
Project Overview Sheet & Pattern Fingerless Gloves
The project overview sheet includes tips and tricks as well as the links to the pattern for the fleece fingerless gloves!
Fleece Mittens with Lining Pattern & Video
Easy lined mittens in 3 sizes child to adult. Written Instructions and link for video tutorial.
Fleece Mitten Pattern
Tutorial (link to download FREE pattern on this page). Super easy to follow tutorial! SIngle layer adult.
Easy Fleece Mittens by Charmed by Ashley
Super easy single layer fleece mitten pattern in adult sizes
Quick Sew Video Tutorial For Fleece Fingerless Gloves
Quick Sew Video Tutorial For Fleece Fingerless Gloves
Warm Winter Zoom Room Fleece Hats & Mittens
Unedited video of Zoom Room Class with Kathy Lawrence on sewing fleece hats & mittens!
cooling scarf
shipping guidelines
Donations are accepted on an ongoing basis. Masks are urgent. Please ship as quickly as possible.
Amanda Richey
c/o Care Corps Vegas
6332 Casada Way Unit D
Las Vegas NV 89107