Javier Munoz Leads Broadway Relief Project to Help With the Government's Need For Surgical Gowns

Broadway's Javier Munoz is leading the Broadway Relief Project, uniting Broadway seamstresses, actors, and other members of the community to help the New York City government meet the need for 10 million surgical gowns.

According to Advocate.com, the project has already recruited 600 volunteers.

"I got on calls and found so many people ready to participate and volunteer," said Munoz. "There were so many people who were already trying to implement their own efforts, and so instead of having five, six, seven efforts going at the same time, [I thought], Why don't we all join together and make one Broadway effort?"

Jeff Whiting, owner of Open Jar Studios in midtown Manhattan, has donated his theatrical studio space as the project's central manufacturing facility. Molly Braverman, director of Broadway Green Alliance, has also stepped in to help with fabric donations and transferring materials. Bruce Barish, who runs Ernest Winzer Cleaners, a dry cleaning business catering to Broadway shows, has been supplying drivers and vans.

The Theatrical Wardrobe Union Local 764 has called for area laborers to volunteer their skills.

Munoz says that the group is just waiting for one final piece of the puzzle, which is the "officially-approved specification" of the gowns themselves. From there, "We'll have solid numbers, and then we can start manufacturing them," Munoz explained.

If you're in the New York City area and would like more information on how to volunteer, visit OpenJarStudios.com.

Read more on Advocate.com.