The MakerSpace at College of the Canyons donated 100 face shields to UCLA Health Santa Clarita on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The face shields — which were created with MakerSpace’s 3-D printing machines — will help the medical professionals at UCLA Health Santa Clarita to continue safely handling COVID-19 cases with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“We at UCLA Health Santa Clarita Valley are pleased to accept this donation from College of the Canyons and their Makerspace program,” said Jeff Borenstein, MD, regional medical director at UCLA Health. “The masks—along with other infection control measures already in place in our offices such as social distancing, symptom screening, universal masking and enhanced disinfecting procedures—will help ensure the safety of local residents who seek medical care at our clinic. It’s wonderful to receive this support from the community.”

Materials for the face shields donated to UCLA Health were funded through local and regional sources.

“It is an honor to provide UCLA Health with the face shields they need to safely provide care to COVID-19 patients,” said Jeffrey Forrest, vice president of economic and workforce development at the college. “We are committed to helping our community during this public health crisis, especially those on the frontlines.”

In April, MakerSpace donated 150 face shields to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and made 200 face shields for COC nursing students.

The MakerSpace mission is to enable community members to design, prototype and create manufactured works that wouldn’t be possible to create with the resources available to individuals working alone.

Both of the college’s MakerSpace facilities have been designed as collaborative learning areas that give users free access to tools, materials, technological resources, skills training and a variety of entrepreneurial opportunities.