EDMONTON -- An Edmonton non-profit youth-based group is donating 4,500 disposable face masks to the iHuman Youth Society.

Operation Warmth and Reworks raised $800, with donations coming from friends and local businesses, in order to purchase the masks for iHuman.

"We thought, 'Why don't we just donate disposable masks?'" Operation Warmth and Reworks co-founder Avishek Airi told CTV News Edmonton. "This way individuals can come to this organization, pick up as many as they need and they can use them as they please. And this way they always have a clean mask so they can be safe to go wherever."

The iHuman Youth Society has been working with marginalized youngsters, aged 12 to 24, to foster positive personal development and creativity in Edmonton since 1997.

Mask donation

"We found out that [iHuman's] main target were younger adults as well. Those who suffer from homelessness or addictions," said Airi. "[iHuman] uses different methods such as introducing them to different types of arts like music and stuff as a sort of rehabilitation method. So we saw that as something unique and we decided to target iHuman for that."

The main goal of Operation Warmth is to get youth involved in the community.

"There are a lot of young people who do want to help out, however they don't have a channel that they can be with other youngsters as well," said Airi. "The goal of our organization is to provide that. Where they can come out with other young people and together they can give back to our community."