The lack of personal protection equipment (PPE) has been an issue across the community.
As a disability service provider, supporting some of our community’s most vulnerable, we want to ensure that both our clients and workers are kept as safe as possible. We are not alone. This is true for many disability service providers across the country. That is why it’s so important that we come together to pool our resources and source personal protective equipment for the disability community. We have already secured over 600,000 face masks that will be distributed across the disability sector.
Now we want to sew protective gowns for the disability support workforce.
They will be used by disability support workers at Able Australia and across the sector. Our goal continues to be the protection and safety of our clients and staff, and these gowns will help significantly with this.
We are looking for support from volunteers to sew these protective gowns. We are so grateful for incredible reaction we’ve had so far.
“We are overwhelmed by the response from the community and how they are supporting us during this crisis. With the help of our volunteers, we hope to create these gowns to help protect our clients and support workers from the spread of COVID-19” says Kate MacRae, Able Australia CEO.
We would like to pay particular thanks to the small team of volunteers who developed the protective gown pattern and provided detailed sewing instructions. They have spent countless hours completing this and we wouldn’t have been able to undertake this activity if they hadn’t stepped up to provide their assistance.
Judith Ross, one of our amazing volunteers say’s “As a donor to Able Australia for many years, I understand the difference they can make to the lives of those who face the challenge of disability. I have followed the stories of those they care for with interest. Small things matter in life. I do not have the skills to be a disability support worker – but I do have sewing skills. By making a gown, its one small way I can show my appreciation for those caring for others under pandemic conditions, and in turn help the people Able Australia cares for”.
The Able Australia website includes detailed sewing instructions as well as a downloadable pattern that volunteers can use. Click here to see some of our lovely volunteers in an example of the protective gowns.
Any and all assistance is much appreciated.