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This mapping tool identifies healthcare organizations most in need PPE donations

Find the Masks started in the U.S. but is now in 12 countries, including Canada.

May 15, 2020 9:52 a.m. EST

Physician Sophie Miller (R) adjusts a face shield on May 14, 2020 at the LAC+USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, upon delivery by the Greater Los Angeles Hospital Registry, a volunteer run online service connecting health care workers in LA County with personal protective equipment (PPE). - 10,000 face shields were delivered today to 9 hospitals in Los Angeles County, with the equipment donated by philanthropists and several California-based companies. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians are stepping up to help out. That's definitely the case with Linda Yang and a group of other concerned citizens, who have organized a crowd-sourced mapping tool called FindTheMasks Canada to help identify healthcare organizations in need of personal protective equipment, or PPE. They decided to start the initiative after they noticed the impending lack of supplies to tackle the growing pandemic. Without protection, frontline workers are at greater risk of infection while treating patients with COVID-19.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

FindTheMasks Canada is a crowd-sourced mapping tool to identify health-care organizations (such as hospitals, pharmacies, shelters and food banks) to set a pin on the map to indicate supplies they need, such as masks, gowns, shields and gloves and the quantity. People in the community can then access the site and locate places near them that require the PPE and drop off any donations.

THE SITE AND THE RESPONSE

The site is run by less than a dozen volunteers, launched in mid-April and there are currently 41 sites in Toronto that need donations, 223 sites in Ontario and 318 sites across Canada. Globally, there are over 4,100 locations.After merging with the FindTheMasks efforts in the U.S., the spreadsheet evolved into a comprehensive mapping tool with over 250 healthcare and community welfare locations across Canada and is growing daily. Individuals, communities, businesses, and 3D printer networks have answered these calls for help, with over 80,000 people viewing the tool from over 100 countries.To find out more, check out the FindTheMasks website.[video_embed id='1958501']BEFORE YOU GO: This cereal box hack is going viral and it's actually really easy to do[/video_embed]