In the idle hands of a coronavirus-crippled economy, Hindus in North Akron found a way to protect hospital workers.

These thousands of Bhutanese Americans — who settled as refugees in North Hill before many migrated to Stow, Cuyahoga Falls and Tallmadge — raised $4,000 at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The money covers the cost of fabric and thread, from which a team of Bhutanese women and men are paid $2 each time they sew a mask for a hospital worker.

The first 1,000 masks have been delivered to Summa Health, with another 4,000 being stitched together for nurses and doctors at Akron City Hospital and other Summa operations.

"We are greatly appreciative of their efforts to provide masks that protect our health care workers," said Shannon Houser, a spokeswoman for Summa Health, which "is forever thankful for the dedication the entire community has shown in providing countless donations of handmade masks, personal protective equipment, food and financial contributions."

"They are lifesavers," Mahananda Luitel said of the health care workers. "We see that they must be our utmost priority."

As president of the nonprofit Greater Akron Hindu Sewa Samittee Inc., Luitel said the mask-making is just one of several neighborly initiatives spearheaded by Akron’s Bhutanese community.

In gestures big and small, made online or in person, the community has given solace and tangible relief when possible. They were among the first to adopt social distancing and other safe practices, even before the state ordered people and business to change their ways.

Last week, Hindu priests lit candles for COVID-19 victims and frontline workers. To ease the community’s anxiety, they have taken to broadcasting hymns and poetry for online audiences. And they’ve jump-started collaborative talks with other faith leaders in Greater Akron, including several Christian organizations.

On Saturday, volunteers with Intra-National Welfare and Support Foundation of America, another Ohio nonprofit organization, distributed gloves and hand sanitizer to 1,000 people in Akron.

In the past few weeks, Luitel and his colleagues formed a COVID-19 response team to help local educators with students from families who do not speak English. The team, which has met with officials in Stow-Munroe Falls and Cuyahoga Falls, is offering interpreters and other assistance at no charge.

In the works are online Nepali language classes for the children, which will teach the language and not the organization personal beliefs or faith, Luitel said.

Reach Beacon Journal reporter Doug Livingston at dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3792.