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Austin-area businesses, individuals get creative to help others during COVID-19 pandemic

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Published  April 7, 2020 10:22pm CDT
Austin
FOX 7 Austin

Austin-area businesses, individuals get creative to help others during COVID-19 pandemic

This economic lull has left an Austin sign company with a surplus of time and material.

AUSTIN, Texas - Creative businesses in Central Texas are using their talents and time to help others through the COVID-19 pandemic.

This economic lull has left an Austin sign company with a surplus of time and material. COVID-19 could have entirely cut business at Rocket Banners, but none of their leftover materials has gone to waste.

The shop has made more than 600 free "open for takeout" banners for hundreds of local restaurants.

RELATED: If you’re going to make your own face mask, the material matters, researchers say

"We were thinking about all the restaurants that were going to be open, and we knew there was a need for these signs and we knew we had the material to make these signs," said owner David Zuenfeldt.

Each banner costs the shop about $10, but Zuenfeldt says it's a win-win situation.

TUTORIAL: Making your own fabric face covering

The CDC is now recommending that the general public wear cloth face coverings when outside their home in public areas. FOX 7 Austin's Jane Lonsdale is live from Auditorium Shores and shows how you can make one at home.

RELATED: Williamson County seeks volunteers to help sew masks

"We had so much material, and you know I wanted something to do for my employees that are here, a lot of them are working from home now - but it's just fun to help the neighborhood community," Zuenfeldt said. 

Also determined to help her own community, Pflugerville artist Wendy Layne has transformed her art studio into a sewing studio for masks. She's honoring more than a thousand requests and just started making the free masks three days ago.

"So many people needed them, more than I ever expected," Layne said. "I've been working 13 to 17 hour days."

Austin-Travis County adopts CDC guidelines for using fabric face coverings in public

City officials also stress the importance of maintaining physical distancing and following the stay-home work order.

RELATED: How should you wash your face mask to protect against coronavirus?

She says the only thing that matters to her is that people wear them and get better. Layne is accepting fabric donations and asks anyone interested in donating to contact her through her Facebook page.

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You can also get the latest COVID-19 news from around the country at coronavirusnow.com.