The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis defined by the magnitude of the number of individuals infected. Experts have warned that our healthcare infrastructure will not be enough to combat this illness, and this has already become apparent. Soon, caregivers will be forced to make difficult, life-or-death decisions due to a lack of equipment and resources. Our mission is to address shortages firsthand, with mass production of simple and inexpensive ventilators for immediate use. We started as an NYC-based group of concerned citizens who felt a strong need to assist during this crisis. Ventila’s forces are quickly expanding, and we are grateful for the assistance coming from across the country and beyond. Our experience in tech, engineering and other related businesses demands we use our skills, tools and experience to help prepare healthcare facilities for COVID-19. Observations of the European response, as well as correspondence with like-minded individuals and teams globally, has highlighted the shortfalls of the current response. Among many factors, the number of deaths has been exacerbated by a lack of required equipment and resources. There is currently a shortage of ventilators, which has been most immediately felt at the epicenter of the US outbreak and our home, New York City. Although there is a nationwide and worldwide shortage of existing ventilators, there is no shortage of relative component parts to assemble basic ventilators. Our NYC-based group is making use of the knowledge shared by teams and individuals globally to save lives. A growing number of individuals are donating their knowledge, time and workspaces in order to produce ventilators en masse. Currently, our primary need is raw materials. These materials include acrylic and other widely-accessible components required to produce ventilators suitable for hospital use. Please reach out if you are able to donate raw materials or make a monetary contribution.