Bethany Zummo, California State University, East Bay Alumni and a member of Team USA’s paralympic volleyball team, decides to help her community by sewing filtered masks.
Her love for sewing grew when her mom and grandma taught her at a young age, which inspired her to go to East Bay and graduate with a degree in Theater Arts & Design technology, as well as pursuing her volleyball career.
The inspiration to make these masks came from her sister who was scrolling through her social media and told her that she should consider making some.
Before she could accept the challenge she was receiving mixed communication about whether these DIY masks were helpful. “ I didn’t want to make them unless they were helpful for people, “ says Zummo.
Her family encouraged her to do it and she agreed. She first made masks for her family since she lived with her 92-year-old grandma and her 72-year-old aunt, along with her mom and sister. When she made the first one that’s when she realized how easy it was to make since she’s been sewing her entire life.
This motivated her to reach out to more family members, as well as different people she’s networked with during her travels with volleyball tournaments.

Zummo reached out to a friend who is a nurse in Burlingame and asked if anyone needed a mask, which was the game plan that helped her get started.
She has shipped out over 477 masks sent to several different hospitals, three in the Bay Area, and the others in Texas, along with a nursing home in Reno, Nevada, and as far as New York.
Zummo’s made sure to notify people that these masks were free and in no way was she charging anyone. “ The whole point is you need this thing, and I have the time.” She was surprised by how many people wanted them.
At first, people were only able to order them from her social media and from her sisters and mom. With so many people interested Bethany decided to make a website, so people who she wasn’t able to contact through her social media, she had a different way for people to contact her.
She also reached out to people who can’t afford to get a mask or can’t get them in on time “ So if I can help one extra person I can alleviate the stress “ Just Finding a way to help”
When this started I did not think we would get to 300 masks and today we would get to 500.

Bethany would try to make more than 30 a day. It’s hard to tell because we make an assembly line with how they are made. With the helping hand from her family In a day, they are able to make up to 60 masks. But with Bethany’s Zummo’s head in the game, she’s determined to help as many people as she can during this virus.

For people who are in need of a mask they can visit her website with the link below

https://www.zummocollective.co/