ALLEGAN, Mich. — Back in April, Brittany Dehaan, who is a nurse, was making headbands for her frontline colleagues all across the country and the world. Instead of the straps from the masks going around the ears, they go around buttons on the headbands, saving wear and tear on the ears.
Fast forward three months, and now she's` trying to do the same thing for kids as they prepare to head back to school during the pandemic.
"Kids are going to be wearing masks for a long time at school," said Brittany, who created Headbands for Heroes. "So, in order to make it more fun and more comfortable and more safe, this would be a good idea for them to wear."
The construction of the headbands is very similar to the ones Brittany made for the front line workers.
"The size is about the same, I use very high-quality four-way stretch material so that they can fit both children and adults. But for smaller children, I do have a small preschool size that I make with bigger buttons that are brightly colored, so they're easier to find on their heads and put the straps on."
Brittany spends about 20 hours a week on her headbands and sells them for $14 apiece, or $20 for a bargain bag. But she says it's not about the money; that's why she has implemented a Buy One Donate One program. "For every headband that is sold on my Facebook page, a headband with buttons is donated to children who are undergoing treatment for cancer," she said.
And she spreads the headband love around West Michigan and beyond.
"Boxes of hero headbands to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital of Michigan, Luri's Children's Hospital in Chicago, and Bronson Children's Hospital. My next goal is C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. They'll be getting a box within the week, probably."
It's a lot of work, but Brittany says it is more than worth it.
"I enjoy it and for every headband that I make, I think about and pray for whoever's going to get it. And I really just enjoy making them and sending them out to the people that buy them or need them."
For more information click here to visit Brittany's Headbands 4 Heroes Facebook page.
