Community Help for FHN during COVID-19 Pandemic

March 23, 2020 – FHN has received many offers of assistance from the community related to responding to the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). These are greatly appreciated! Here are ways you can help.

• Financial contributions may be made to the COVID-19 Response Fund at the FHN Foundation, where they will be used for the greatest need during the pandemic.
• If you are interested in sewing masks, an approved pattern is posted below. It is a simple pattern called the Deaconess (coincidentally, in 1924, FHN was known for a while as the Evangelical Deaconess Hospital). While using elastic is preferred, ties will work if no elastic is available.
  • The masks will be laundered at the hospital and then kept here until IDPH (Illinois Department of Health) approves the use of homemade masks in healthcare settings. At that point, FHN will keep some and the rest will be made available for area nursing homes and other care providers.
  • Homemade masks may be dropped off at FHN Specialty Care - Stephenson Street, 1036 W., Stephenson St. in Freeport. JoAnn Fabrics has launched a national effort through all of their stores, including Freeport, for people wishing to sew masks and they are putting together kits for that purpose. The store in Freeport will be asking that the Deaconess pattern be used. Masks made through their program can be returned to the Freeport store, which will deliver them to FHN.
• Other donations, including hand sanitizer, commercially made masks, and any other items potentially useful for healthcare may be left inside the entrance to FHN Specialty Care - Stephenson Street, 1036 W., Stephenson St. in Freeport. Donors can pull through the circle drive there and leave their items in the large boxes just inside the first automatically opening door from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Homemade masks may also be left in these boxes.

If you have questions, please call Volunteer Services at 815-599-6752 or send us a private message through our Facebook page. FHN is grateful for your assistance!

Download instructions for making masks or watch one of two videos, below, for how-to's - either of the patterns described will work great. THANK YOU!.