AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austinites are practicing social distancing and wearing face masks in public in accordance with recent orders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But one army officer in Austin found that many people have specific requirements for what they need out of a face covering – and from there, the Austin Mask Exchange was born.

Liam Kozma recently bought a sewing machine so he could make face masks for himself and his family. Soon, he had an excess of masks and need to figure out what to do with them.

Kozma took to Reddit to share the fruits of his mask making labor and to see if anyone in the Austin area needed a mask. Before he knew it the post took off.

“The first request for masks came within minutes. But it wasn’t from a health care worker. It was from a young couple who needed masks to shop for groceries,” he said.

“The next message was from a Redditor who served as the primary caretaker for their elderly mother. Next, the parent of an immunocompromised child asked if I could sew kids sizes. An RN asked for masks she could wear to and from work. A Favor driver worried about spreading the virus during deliveries. It went on,” Kozma wrote about the initial reaction to his Reddit post.

In addition to those who needed masks, Kozma received many responses from people who had also made masks and were willing to give them away.

Kozma said that while groups such as Make a Mask Austin are doing great work, they are focusing on getting masks to facilities that need them. The Austin Mask Exchange was created out of the desire to get masks into the hands of the everyday people who need them.

“The Reddit post made it very clear that there is a small army of volunteers willing to sew and give away masks to those in need. What we needed was a forum to connect them. A place where people could find local mask makers,” said Kozma.

The Austin Mask Exchange is a directory that helps people who need masks get in contact with mask makers near them. It also information on how to make masks with instructions on different patterns and the best materials to use.

At the moment Kozma is working with around 20 mask makers from all over Austin. The exchange website shares the makers’ contact information, typically Reddit or email, so those who need masks can reach out directly.

LeeAnn Brown, a mask maker working with the exchange, says she works in a dental office and knows first hand how short the supply for personal protective equipment PPE really is.

Brown, who is immunocompromised, understands how important it is for as many people to wear masks as possible. “I want everyone to wear a mask not only for my protection but for theirs.” She tells KXAN she just recently made her 100th mask.

Anyone interested in making masks for the exchange is encouraged to visit the Austin Mask Exchange website.