Tonya Dickenson, Artsci’89, EMBA’05, has turned a small volunteer program that makes free, homemade non-medical masks into a North American-wide program.
Army of Masks uses a custom-made mobile application that geographically matches volunteer mask makers with nearby individuals struggling to find protection. Ms. Dickenson, the organization’s marketing and strategic planning director, emphasizes the homemade masks are not meant to replace surgical or N95 masks. But with personal protective equipment (PPE) in short supply, Army of Masks is facilitating requests from workers desperate for cloth masks in fields such as law enforcement, long-term care facilities, and group homes.
“Each order we fill could help slow the spread,” says Ms. Dickenson, who is a retired pharmaceutical salesperson and marketing director living in Montreal. “This is one of the most important things I have ever done.”
Army of Masks was started in mid-March by Ms. Dickenson’s friend, Mireille Bani. It was a small operation with Ms. Bani writing orders on a note pad. Ms. Dickenson soon joined and realized that technology could help scale the project to all of North America. She knew it would be easier to track requests online, so she reached out to friends in her network who volunteered their time and talent to translate her vision into an app and website.
“My EMBA, as well as my experiences in the corporate and volunteer world, were instrumental,” says Ms. Dickenson, noting the app and website were developed and launched within days instead of weeks. “I had to do things at lightning speed and make split decisions without time for market research.”
The technology allowed Army of Masks to rapidly grow and easily reach people across North America. People who need masks post a request online, and mask makers select which orders they can help fill. After only a few weeks, Army of Masks has helped distribute more than 14,000 free DIY masks.
Some public health officials are now recommending people wear cloth masks. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed an executive order to make people to wear masks in public. As of April 20, people are required to wear masks at airports in Canada.
Ms. Dickenson has personally delivered masks to many of her neighbours and loves seeing people wearing them while on walks.
“There is nothing more important than trying to protect lives, and, subsequently, jobs, companies, economies, and our security,” says Ms. Dickenson.
To learn more about Army of Masks, visit their website or connect with Tonya Dickenson over LinkedIn.
