After experiencing her school, the city and the country shutting down, and watching the news about COVID-19 for the past month get worse and worse, Mia Mandala, an 11-year old resident of Miami Beach and a sixth-grade theatre student at Miami Arts Charter School in Wynwood, wanted to figure out a way to help. She asked her parents if she could organize a read-a-thon, and figure out a way to partner with an organization to help first responders.

This is how the #WRECares read-a-thon was born! The read-a-thon will run from Thursday, April 16th at 6pm for one week, and all proceeds will go toward #WRECares benefiting The Little Lighthouse Foundation. One hundred percent of your contribution helps #WRECares’ network of local seamstresses and covers the costs of the materials used to make the masks.

How will it work?

Kids will ask their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and parents’ friends to “sponsor” them.

For each page read, the sponsor(s) will donate (X) cents per page.

The kids will have 1 week to read as much as they can (honor system so let’s keep ‘em honest!), and raise as much money as they can.

At the end of the week, the sponsors can make their donation right here!

So – parents – get your kids involved! Let’s read some books and save some lives!  We are encouraging as many kids to participate as possible, and as many parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and friends to sponsor as we can reach. If your kids would like to participate, or if you would like to sponsor Mia or another of our readers, please email Mia at miareadathon@gmail.com and we will set it up!

Thanks to the 23 incredible students participating, we now have a total of $20.64 pledged per page and over $9,000 pledged so far! Let's keep this going!

1 Mask 1 World
Make Masks • Donate Masks • Save Lives

For every $3 you give we will donate 1 mask to our Health Heroes as well as underserved children and families in our community! Our goal is to donate 100,000 masks!

One hundred percent of your contribution helps #WRECares’ network of local seamstresses and covers the costs of the materials used to make the masks.

About #WRECares
In response to COVID-19, World Red Eye launched #WRECares on March 23, 2020. World Red Eye has transitioned its website WorldRedEye.com into an informative hub for the Miami community to share updates and resources on how we can rise above COVID-19 and help restore the prestige of this great city. 

In support of the seamstresses in our community who have been furloughed as a direct effect of the pandemic, #WRECares is proud to benefit The Little Lighthouse Foundation. #WRECares has assembled a network of 20+ seamstresses and designers who have pivoted their businesses to become mask makers. As a result, they can now support their families while making and donating face masks to those in need. All of the masks donated are made in Miami, for Miami.

The team at #WRECares is distributing the masks to people who need them most (local hospitals, police and fire departments, foster care facilities, eldery homes, etc). 

About The Little Lighthouse Foundation:

Founded in 2010, the Little Lighthouse Foundation (“LLF”) is a registered 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization, that assists underserved children and their families throughout South Florida. Through the deployment of over 2,700 LLF volunteers, LLF impacted the lives of 8600 children in South Florida this past year. LLF has over 20 proprietary programs with 33 partner facilities, including, but not limited to, homeless shelters, hospitals, and youth centers. LLF’s programs include Adopt a Meal at Ronald McDonald House, Activity Hour, Story Hour and Move & Groove at Chapman Partnership, Craft Night and Beauty All Around at Lotus House, and more! LLF also holds annual Specialty Programs which serve hundreds of children and families at a time and bring together hundreds of volunteers. These include LLF’s Back to School, Children’s Halloween Party and Holiday Toy Distribution, among others. Last year, LLF received the Jan Pfeiffer Distinguished Service Award at the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce 97th Annual Gala as well as the Key to the City from the City of Miami Beach for its volunteer efforts.

To learn how you can #DoGoodFeelGood with LLF, visit www.TheLittleLighthouse.org or follow LLF on Instagram @LLFoundation.

All donations are tax-deductible under The Little Lighthouse Foundation 501c3.

Care:
All masks are reusable.

Masks must be washed before wearing and after every use.

Hand wash with warm water and laundry detergent. Tumble dry. 

Made in Miami

A Message from the CDC:
“HCP (Health Care Personnel) use of homemade masks:
In settings where facemasks are not available, HCP might use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort. However, homemade masks are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect HCP is unknown. Caution should be exercised when considering this option. Homemade masks should ideally be used in combination with a face shield that covers the entire front (that extends to the chin or below) and sides of the face.”

Share your message by using #WRECares

#LLFoundation #DoGoodFeelGood

WorldRedEye.com

Instagram @worldredeye 

Facebook @worldredeye 

Twitter @worldredeye

TheLittleLighthouse.org

Instagram @LLFoundation

Facebook @LLFoundation

Twitter @LLFNews