GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — We’ve seen so many amazing stories of people making masks to help protect our healthcare workers and people in our community.
Now one Calvin University student is making masks to help the homeless population who is among the most vulnerable when it comes to the spread of Covid-19.
Freshta Tori Jan, a sophomore at Calvin University couldn’t stop thinking about the people experiencing homelessness and how they were being impacted during the pandemic, so she decided to step in and help not only protect them but help to slow the spread of the virus.
Tori Jan is a political science and pre-law student, passionate about bringing change to communities around the world, and says this all sparked from a young age after growing up in Afghanistan and having her school shut down by the Taliban. She learned to fight and advocate for the rights of the voiceless.
When Tori Jan got back to her parents home during the first week of quarantine she saw a stack of clothes in her room that she couldn’t donate at the moment with stores closed so she had an idea, turn them into masks and give them to the homeless for free.
“I just can't imagine being in their positions right now. You know, not having anything to eat, not having a place to go to, to even shower to sit down and to get connected to all types of resources that you need. It just hurt my heart because if they get it, they don't even have health insurance. And at this time, all the hospitals are so busy. If I can help them stay out of hospitals and get help on the side as much as I can. And the least I could do was you know, make them masks,” says Freshta Tori Jan, Owner of Sew True Products.
So far Tori Jan says she’s made more than 300 masks and tells us her parents are helping her out now too.
She’s also now making masks for anyone who needs them. You can check out her website Sew True Products.
All proceeds at the moment will go towards getting products to make more masks, plus handing out hand sanitizer and food to the homeless.
