Wayzata Teen Starts Mask-Making Business, Donates Profits Back To Community
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- As COVID-19 spreads quickly among young people, a Wayzata high school student has made it her mission to help keep people healthy.
Marit Larson started her own mask making business to stop the spread of COVID.
"It gives me something to do, so I might well try and figure out how to customize masks and make people want to wear them and make them cuter," Larson said.
Larson wanted to encourage her Wayzata senior classmates and other young people to wear masks, so she started an Instagram account to meet the young people where they are.
She's also designing masks that fit the trends she and her friends are into right now, like tie-dye masks.
Larson also using her Instagram platform to educate people. In her posts, she shares the number of daily COVID cases from the Minnesota Department of Health.
"Educating and showing how bad COVID still is, since most people my age don't watch the news," said Larson.
While her masks help keep people healthy, her profits help her community. Larson donates a majority of her profit to Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners, a Plymouth non-profit food shelf for families in need.
"People can go there and get supplies they need when they're financially unstable, which is definitely growing with COVID," said Larson. "Might as well give back to those who are in higher need than I am at this time."
Larson says she will keep making them as long as people need them.
"It's really fun when I'm at a store or out in public and I see someone wearing a mask that I made and inside I'm like, 'Ope, I made that one!'" Larson said.
So far Larson has donated more than $500 to Interfaith Outreach in just three months. To buy a "Mask By Marit" message her on her Instagram page or MaskByMarit.com, which is launching soon.
