Up to 1,000 masks are needed in the Coeur d’Alene and Lakeland Joint school districts to protect employees who are still working.

"We are asking for public donations of reusable face masks that our employees can wear when working in shared spaces and public settings," Coeur d’Alene School District communications director Scott Maben said.

That includes the many people making and distributing school meals for Coeur d’Alene kids each weekday, the emergency child care workers at Ramsey and Skyway elementary schools, maintenance staff and others.

Donations of reusable, machine-washable face masks, homemade or manufactured, may be brought in plastic bags to the Coeur d’Alene School District office at 1400 N. Northwood Center Court. A plastic collection tub has been placed outside the door.

"Our district is still running on the maintenance end of things," said Lakeland facilities director Mike Ferriola. "All my custodians are in the buildings, as well as my maintenance staff and the grounds workers working outside.”

Coeur d’Alene and Lakeland school districts are in need of about 500 masks each. Face masks have been in short supply since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Ferriola said he has a staff member who has made a few here and there, but now the need has grown.

"They're hard to come by," he said. "Even though we’re not operating at 100 percent, we do have people in and out and the need to keep all those people safe is huge."

To donate reusable, washable face masks to Lakeland, call the district office at 208-687-0431.

Post Falls School District is not in need of masks at this time. Superintendent Jerry Keane said it's been "one of those turning lemons into lemonade stories."

"We have had a number of individuals donate masks," Keane said. "We are extremely grateful to our community for taking actions to help keep our employees safe.”

Visit bit.ly/2VqQRTS for Panhandle Health District's steps for making homemade face coverings.