Brea apparel maker donates 30000 face masks in drive-through giveaway

In normal times, AST Sportswear makes, well, sportswear. But when the coronavirus crisis temporarily halted its manufacture of tank tops, sweatshirts, vests and beanies, the Brea company switched gears to something more urgent – face masks.

On Saturday, April 18, AST employees and volunteers were expecting to pass out 10,000 of those washable cotton masks in a drive-through giveaway starting at 10 a.m. But when COO Abdul Rashid arrived at the warehouse at 6:30 a.m, traffic was backed up at least a mile in each direction along East Imperial Highway.

So volunteers started early. Before noon 2,760 motorists had passed through, according to event coordinator Mohammed Sbeini's tally . Each car was given four masks. Sbeini predicted they would be giving out triple what they expected.

Along with volunteers, the Brea Police Department helped keep traffic rolling. Several motorists were caught trying to cut in front of others and at least one person was threatened with arrest.

Volunteers at AST Sportswear hand out free masks to motorists who waited in mile-long lines and up to two hours in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Despite mile-long lines in every direction, traffic is kept flowing by police and volunteers at AST Sportswear in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. The company was giving away free masks and the wait was up to two hours. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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People wait up to two hours for free masks at AST Sportswear's drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. The line of traffic was more than a mile long. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

AST Sportswear event coordinator Mohammed Sbeini counts 2,760 motorists before 11:30 am for a 10 am drive through mask giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. People waited up to two hours. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A few thousand motorists, and a handful of bicyclists, like Ken Eazell and his daughter Alicia, 12, show up to get free masks given away by AST Sportswear in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A stylish pup waits in line at AST Sportswear in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. The company was handing out free masks to motorists who waited in mile-long lines and up to two hours. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Volunteers help control traffic that lined up for more than a mile during AST Sportswear's drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A woman is in good spirits despite her long wait for masks at AST Sportswear's drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

AST Sportswear volunteers indicate the amount of masks a motorist will receive —two packs of two masks— during a drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Most motorists seemed in good spirits despite the long wait for masks at AST Sportswear's drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A motorists seems satisfied after receiving four masks in a drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

People wait up to two hours for free face masks at AST Sportswear's drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An AST Sportswear employee rolls out more boxes of cotton face masks for the drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Dogs watch the action from the back seat during a face mask giveaway at AST Sportswear in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A dogs watches the action from the passenger's seat during a face mask giveaway at AST Sportswear in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A stylish pup waits in line at AST Sportswear in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. The company was handing out free face masks to motorists who waited in mile-long lines and up to two hours. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Masks are passed from one gloved hand to another during a drive-through giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bashar Sbeini helps direct traffic during AST Sportswear's mask giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A Brea police officer keeps the mile-long line of cars civilized during a mask giveaway in Brea on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

AST Sportswear employee Manuel Basurto directs traffic outside the company's warehouse where volunteers were giving away masks on Saturday, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Most people were polite and good-natured; one woman even held up a sign thanking the company as she was handed her ration.

Already, the company has donated about 5 million of its cotton masks to hospitals and nursing homes around the country, AST spokesman Francis Ha said.

Although the face coverings do not offer medical-grade protection, hospital workers give them to patients or wear them over surgical masks, he added.

"We wanted to make something affordable and washable," Ha said.

"As part of the community," Ha said, "it is our responsibility to do what we can to help flatten the curve."

Rashid energetically interacted with motorists. "Isn't this great?" he said. "It's so fun giving away things."

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