pillowcase project haiti pillowcase project haiti

And we built on that. When COVID hit, you might be so bored in the house. But last August, two natural disasters hit Haiti that made the sisters send their first shipment of dresses before reaching their goal to Bellevue Church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee, a church that takes their donations to Haiti on mission trips. Since then, a small group of sewers from our Catholic parishes and the community have created over 200 dresses for several villages serviced by the Haiti Plunge. In 2006, Michelle's role as a Mission Coordinator with Airline Ambassadors allowed her to lead a team of volunteers to Kenya, where they installed a playground, set up a feeding program, delivered supplies and worked with orphans at the Caroline Wambui Mungai Home. We created this FREE Haiti's pillowcase dress pattern to help encourage people to sew for the Real Hope for Haiti organization. Open up the embroidery hoop and then slip your pillowcase through the inner hoop. Its a really good incentive! Leo Wobeter, a member of St. Mary's Haiti committee delivered four of Ternus' dresses on a recent trip. Heres another no-sew project for those of us who are not crafty-inclined: no-sew pillowcase valances! Upon completion, students receive a sturdy pillowcase in which to build their personal emergency supplies kit. Carolyn Roach says. Zvitkovits said she was first introduced to pillowcase dresses through her church, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheboygan Falls, which was sponsoring a mission trip to Guatemala. Then I went back to my daughter's office and helped to pack the dresses for shipment. Daves experience in education and ranching has been beneficial to the organization and those we work with. Dave is an avid traveler and has seen many parts of the world. Share on Social Media. SHEBOYGAN - Sunglasses-wearing flamingos, ladybugs, dancing ballerinas and dogs are just a few of the patterns featured ondressessisters Mary Leonhard and Nancy Zvitkovits have helped transform from pillowcases. Several individuals and groups of supporters have made pillowcase dresses for the girls here at RHFH. In addition to helping them exceed their goal of 600 pillowcases, they also collected the money needed to ship them to Gros Morne. "I had no clothing when I was their age.". Today, I am showing you a Cricut Tutorial for beginners on how to personalize/customize a pillow case with Cricut HTV/Iron-On. "I'm adopted from the Ukraine," said the 18-year-old student at Vinton-Shellsburg High School in Vinton. We would love if you could take some time and sew up a dress (or 2 or 3) and send them to the high school. Completed dresses can be dropped off or picked up by contacting Colleen Janz. Alejandra also enjoys sewing, designing, photography, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. The Pillowcase Project Tell students that you are visiting today because you want them to be part of The Pillowcase Project. They are cool and comfortable, hold up well through handwashings, and make it easy to continue caring for the child while wearing the dress, even if the child has an IV or bandages. 941,000 pillowcases have been created. In her free time, Alejandra enjoys going to the beach with her husband and daughter. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time. As a mother and wife, she is devoted to her family and those in her community. As part of the project "Maintenance of health services in times of Covid-19", implemented since January 2022, . . The pillowcases were all packaged to go to The Parish Twinning Program Sea-Container in Nashville, TN, at the end of April when Andi Healy, our local connection to Mercy Focus on Haiti, decided to make the 13-hour drive from Gwynedd Valley to Nashville to deliver the pillowcases. This adds a touch of class to your next dinner party or holiday get-together. "They've done such a wonderful job.". Pillowcase Project. Dont you just HATE it when cleaning ceiling fans the dust gets everywhere? You wont mind if a candy or jam drops or its marked with markers. The Pillowcase Project represents both of Alejandra's . Leonhard and Zvitkovits make pillowcase dresses for Hope for Haiti's Children, a Christian organization that works to support children in Haiti through different programs, like education. She holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology. Bright colors work best. Aug 12, 2012 / 14:51 pm. The girls have pillow case dresses, now the boys have pillow case shorts! The joy provided to both recipients and sewers has created a desire to expand the program to other villages. In 2005, she traveled with Patch Adams to Sri Lanka, after the devastating tsunami, delivering aid to and visiting refugee camps and hospitals. Finish with a draw string or elastic or a combination of both (elastic in the back and drawstring attached at sides). Got a bunch of rejected pillowcases? Heres an easy hack: Repurpose some pillowcases and use them to clean your ceiling fan blades instead. You can also make them as a lot of donations for people who got hit by natural disasters. Those who wish to donate pillowcases, or material that can be used to make the pillowcase dresses, such as fabric, sheets and thread, can donate materials at the main office in Central High School, 621 S. Water St., Sheboygan. I think these are some of the dresses that you donated to Haiti through Love Worth Sharing. You dont need a lot of spare time to make this one! Get those pillowcases out of the shelf. The young woman was seven years old when brought to the United States. Or for those days you help out in the soup kitchens. Keep matching sheets and pillowcases together, 15 Genius Ways to Repurpose Changing Tables, 16 Brilliant Ways to Repurpose an Old Spice Rack, 14 Cool Things to Do with Oatmeal Canisters. Now you have clean clothes! The girls have pillow case dresses, now the boys have pillow case shorts! Your no-sew pillowcase hamper is ready to hang and for use. Refugees in America Assistance Program (RAAP). You can even make some purses out of the extra fabric stash! One look at the picture and I thought to myself. After sending a call out to the Sheboygan Area School District, Leonhard was on a mission to get more pillowcases. Through a grant that Leonhard applied for, the Sheboygan Public Education Foundation donated an embroidery machine for the students to use, which has quickened the dress-making process. And I bet you no one will realize that your chair covers are repurposed pillowcases, especially if they come in a unique print. Zvitkovits said staff who couldnt supply pillowcases but still wanted to help found other ways, such as donating thread and fabric. Theres some measuring and sewing involved here though we promise it will be totally worthwhile. Enjoy our library of fun and engaging animated videos that help children learn how to help stay safe during a variety of emergencies and cope with any thoughts or feelings that might come up along the way. Psstyou didnt get this from me, but the girls have a tendency to fight over who sleeps on the pillowcase bed. "There are two patterns," explained Ternus as she pulled a dress from a rack of colorful garments hanging in St. Mary's basement. There are estimated 500,000 orphaned children. No! In 2008 Michelle was the coordinator of the Starlight Foundation "Winter Wonderland" event, a spectacular holiday event for terminally ill children based in the United States. Every time we receive a new batch, its always fun to see the cute patterns and personal touches the crafter has made. Leading up to reaching The Pillowcase Project's one millionth child, Pillowcase Project teams are holding events all over the country in states such as Louisiana, California and Pennsylvania, just to name a few. Worry not because you can repurpose the pillowcases your child is tired of to create a fun pillow bed/chair. But dont fret if you really want one for yourself, you can find patterns for adult pillowcase dresses, too! Pillowcase dresses are super cute and affordable. Zvitkovits said the students did incredibly well. If you want, you could put in some stitches to hold the pillowcases together. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated continues to use pillowcases to make dresses for little girls and will expand the sorority's efforts to include shirts for little boys. In 2010, earthquakes devastated Haiti, generally regarded as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Seeing their desperate situation and how most of these smaller villages in rural areas do not receive much assistance or aid, Michelle made it her mission to go back there and help set up a projectthat would be sustainable and empower the women and children of their community. And I said, Well, if you want to do this,I can get pillowcases.. Dresses made from pillowcases are modeled by (from left) Jessica Hubley, Ashley Sullivan, Diana Dejong, Jaclyn Sullivan, Lily Dejong, Paige Sullivan and Amber Sullivan on May 7 at St. Thomas More Church in Appleton. Currently Alejandra serves as the Office Manager for ElderSource, as well as developing Riomar Designs, a brand of travel organizers with the purpose to set aside a percentage of the sales to help in the community and The Pillowcase Project. This flyer describes the outcomes and purpose of the Pillowcase Project program. ", Why pillowcases? After Zvitkovits started making a few dresses, she shared the project with her sister. (Anita Revord | For The Compass) In 2012 Michelle journeyed back to Kenya, where she would meet the community in Anjech village. Ternus and her mother have been holding sewing workshops at St. Mary's on a regular basis, teaching participants how to make the dresses. On June 21st and June 22nd, join the Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Sorority, Incorporated for our Pillowcase Project Event. While they can be made from a length of fabric or a pillowcase, they are not costly to make and launder easily. 2022 Sisters of Mercy site by Chip Thompson. This dress was inspired by FCCLA students who are trying to make a difference in Haiti. And for the environmentally conscious, youll be happier knowing that youre doing your part to reduce the worlds plastic bag usage. The next time you visit a yard sale, why dont you pick up a few next time you spot one and turn it into a tote bag? Hospital pillowcases are rough and strange to kids, but your handmade pillowcase will provide a tangible reminder of home. In addition to relief travel, Michelle has used her fundraising and event planning skills to benefit the causes she loves. "When the earthquake came and so many people lost so many things they already didn't have very much to begin with I just think people in the U.S. saw it and saw a need and a pillowcase is something very easy to turn a dress into so it was a very simple way to, and an inexpensive way to, make a dress for somebody, Boyd said. They call us when they have a bunch, and we pick them up.. With over 17 years of experience in non-profit management, including as an executive director and board member,Genelle possesses a wealth of knowledge and skills in the areas of board development, communications coaching, public relations, strategic planning, developing strategic partnerships, and more. You can make some cute little ballerinas out of these fabrics. I've been sewing forever, and oftentimes when someone, maybe like their mom, has passed away or grandma and she had a fabric stash, I've had people contact me and ask me if I would like the fabric because they themselves don't, Roelse said. She also serves as the National Center Director for Partners for Youth with Disabilities, where she trains organizations toexpandengagement and inclusion ofyouth with disabilities. Its so simple to make a garment bag out of a pillowcase simply cut a slit in the middle of the closed end of the pillowcase, and slip a hanger through it. The Advocate of Hampstead and Manchester September 28, 2011. She lives in Anjech village and is the Director of our project in Kenya. At the beginning, Zvitkovits started with one pillowcase, but seeing the success she had, she became more bold and began taking more than one pillowcase home to transform. Follow her on Twitter at @alexx_garner. The Gwynedd Mercy Community has supported Mercy Focus on Haiti for many years in a variety of ways. All the dresses were made for the "Dressing God's Childre" project and will be sent to Haiti. The energetic member of St. Mary's Parish got the idea for the project while attending the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis last November. After the initial delivery, Ternus set the goal of creating 250 more dresses. Simply place the pillowcase over the blade and slide it back and forth to remove and collect the dust all in one go. Various sizes from age 1 to 8 are needed. Anyone interested in sewing or donating materials to the project can contact St. Mary's Parish in Vinton at 319-472-3368 or Viking Sewing Center at 319-472-2660. I began having public workshop days in my dance studio and now have workshops in churches, senior centers and ladies homes. But have you ever ruined your childs favorite stuffed toy, and because you hadnt planned on doing so, you werent prepared with a backup toy to calm them down? We need 2 pillowcases for every care box we send out, and we need your help to accomplish the mission. At a table of sewing machines, she and her AKA Sorority sisters will make 50 dresses from pillow cases to be shipped to Haiti. "I don't want to take full credit for this because there are so many people involved," said Ternus, humbly. Why would you want to? Or maybe your group is getting burnt-out on craft projects for themselves. Michelle hasassisted at a number of events at The United Nations, including the Millennium Development Goals Awards with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Or see if you could organize a pillow case making night at your church. Come. Then, she sews on bias tape for where the arm holes of the dress will be and adds pockets and trim at the top. (PAHO) is supporting the North-East Health Directorate in Haiti in the establishment of mobile clinics. Roelse estimates she donated as much as two to three copy paper rolls worth of fabric. Several weeks later we received a thank you note from the missionary along with pictures of the distribution days. Although a majority of the dresses are made out of pillowcases that have been modified and decorated, some are crafted from the diverse array of fabric donations. Heres for you! Contactyour local RedCross formore information, Perfect for schools, after-school programs, Girl and Boy Scout troop meetings, and more, Presentations are customized to focus on a hazard that is important and relevant to the local community. The patch is easy to clean! {winks}. Oh, and it will come in super handy during their sleepovers. Especially when it comes to looking for a clean set of bed linens and thanks to the pillowcases that are part of the bed linen sets, you can now have organized linen closets. This can be a great project to introduce to teenage mothers if you have a mission trip anytime soon! Eunice has extensive experience in sewing and has been leading the way in teaching the women in her village as well as surrounding communities, how to sew and create their own business. It was even featured in New York Times! Pillowcase sachets. Chances are youve accrued quite a few pillowcases that you no longer use. She holds a B.A. See more ideas about pillow cases, sewing projects, easy sewing. To repurpose your pillowcase and make this no-sew hamper, you'll only need 2 items: a large pillowcase (King Size should do), and an embroidery hoop (12 -14 should work perfectly). "We've watched these kids grow up," said Wobeter. Seeing their progress, Leonhard and Zvitkovits increased their goal of 100 dresses to 200 dresses. Eunice was born and raised in western Kenya. Memories of the poverty and hardship orphans face inspired her to take Jesus' teaching, "clothe the naked" (Matthew 25:35), to a whole new level. New chairs! My travels with The Pillowcase Project have been amazing and rewarding. "These uniquely designed items containing bling and rhinestones to help provide relief to little girls in Haiti . Her love of teaching about environmental friendliness has earned her much recognition, including Duval County Schools Green Champion 2012 and 2013, Environmental Champion for the city of Jacksonville in 2013, Keep Jacksonville Beautiful award winner for her previous school Ruth N. Upson, and top three Green Schools finalist in the state of Florida 2013, as well as Manatee Academy.