Inmates at two Big Island prisons have made 920 cloth face coverings that were distributed to nonprofit and health care organizations. Inmates at the Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center (HCCC) and Kulani Correctional Facility (KCF) made the masks with donated material.
“The men assisted in choosing what organizations the masks would be delivered to and worked hard to quickly finish sewing them so they could be delivered to community organizations. They are thankful to be given an opportunity to use their recently learned sewing skills to give something positive back to the community,” said Kulani Warden Wanda Craig.
Agencies that received the masks:
- Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii
- Hope Services Hawaii
- Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center
- Hawaii Care Choices (formerly Hospice of Hilo)
- Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home
- Legacy Hilo Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
- Life Care Center of Hilo
Inmates in the sewing program at the two Hawai‘i island facilities and at the Waiawa Correctional Facility (WCF) are producing as many as 4,000 masks a day for sale through under the direction of Hawai‘i Correctional Industries (HCI), which estimates the inmates will produce more than 300,000 masks by the end of June.
The masks are for sale. The supervisor for Hawaii Correctional Industries, Shaila Penaroza, says the inmates who sew the masks are actually being employed–learning a trade, and earning money. The masks come in different patterns and materials:
-polyester/cotton masks $5 each
-cotton masks, mostly in aloha prints $6.50 each
-cotton masks in palaka or tribal prints or camouflage pattern $8 each
Ms. Penaroza says mailing charges via U.S. Postal Service for those being shipped to neighbor islands will be added.
To order, call Shaila Penaroza at 808-587-1367 or contact her by email at psd.hawaiici@hawaii.gov.
