October - Andrea Ruiz Hays

The Million Mask Challenge

What began as one woman's grassroot effort to offer hope during a pandemic quickly blossomed into a network of hand-making mask warriors throughout Central Florida and beyond. Meet Andrea Ruiz-Hays, a small business owner and the woman behind this notable vision. Andrea proudly admits that prior to the Million Mask Challenge she hadn't sown in years, but after watching a video challenge asking for help to make masks for frontline and essential workers, she quickly got to work.  

To date, the Million Mask Challenge has donated more than 90,000 mask to more than 747 locations throughout the U.S. and has a grassroots network of more than 296 volunteer mask makers. Their donations many times also align with needs and local events, including providing a thousand masks a week to Second Harvest Food Bank to place in bags of food given out for the week.  

The Million Mask Challenge volunteers know that the masks give hope. And in Andrea’s own words, “it was like therapy during a pandemic and making masks was a way to gain control."