EP #111 Tolik Borts - ALTRUNITE (Not-for-profit organisation)

Altruistic/Altruism-Is the principle and moral practise of concern for the happiness of other human beings, resulting in a quality of life.

Growing up in Brooklyn, we called ourselves Brooklynites. The good people of the proud borough are always looking out for our neighbours and individuals in our community. Here in NY, we are tough and resilient and more importantly, humbled to lend a helping hand in a time of need. So rightfully so we named our foundation "Altrunite".

Our mission, like our masks, is a symbol of the unselfish act to protect others. Some may not know that wearing a mask is not necessary to protect themselves, but rather others around them if in case they are with, or without knowledge get infected with this terrible virus. We want to take a stand to stop the spread of Covid-19 by teaming up with sports fans along with sports personalities within our great state of NY and its surrounding areas to promote and distribute quality handmade masks. We are not looking for profits, only protection and assistance to others. Together, fans, along with former and current sports players and staff can make a positive impact to save lives within our industry and beyond. Our Face Masks for Fans project began at the start of the Corona Virus pandemic in early March 2020. When masks were an absolute necessity, but products were scarce, we teamed up with professional seamstresses working at mom-and-pop tailor shops in Brooklyn, NY. We decided to utilize our own New York Rangers t-shirts directly from our own closet collections and cultivate a mask that can both complement a purpose of protection and fashion. We displayed our masks on a wide variety of social media platforms, selling them to fans and investing all our profits into more materials, and purchasing more shirts online. When demands for our masks began to exceed the number of shirts at hand, we reached out to our group members and fellow NYR fans online. What transpired next would be a true statement that hockey fans are simply the greatest. To date over 1,200 shirts and jerseys donated to us to continue our cause; allowing us to further expand our mission, as well as donating masks to essential employees, frontline workers, and first responders. Every shirt and jersey are washed, sanitized, and ironed. Every mask is double-layered, and then a third thin layer is added for a filter pocket. We include a 5-layer PM2.5 activated charcoal filter, which further provides a level of protection. Unlike disposable masks, which at times can be more harmful than beneficial (if worn for a longer period of time) the beauty of our product is that it is made from actual shirts and jerseys, therefore it is 100 per cent washable and reusable. We DO NOT heat-press, or screen print any logos or names. We simply repurpose a fan's once owned shirt/jersey and make it into a mask. We cut, sew, and stitch ONLY. The mask is easy to breathe in and is currently up for a redesign for individuals that wear our mask for hours at a time. Also, we now provide a complimentary pouch for placement of the mask to carry, leave in the car or at home. This will prevent excess dust, debris, or dirt on the mask, and avoid possible misplace and/or loss. While we continue to promote and educate the benefits of wearing a mask in public, this is only one of our current initiatives.

We are a non-profit organization. A family of fans charity. For the moment, we are a team of driven and dedicated NYR die-hards in action to striving for a positive cause.

Connect with ALTRUNITE:
https://www.altrunite.com/
https://www.altrunite.com/our-story/
https://www.altrunite.com/our-blog/
[email protected]