Kate and I finished up 2019 by hitting our 800+ mark of handed out Blanket Wraps! Back in November, we spent our Thanksgiving at the Detroit Youth and Dog Rescue Dinner and drove around the streets to the people who missed a Thanksgiving event. We stopped and found some people sleeping on the stairs of a church and they were so grateful to have something warm to sleep with. There were some people that didn’t wake up when we got there, but we saw that their friends were quick to help them out by placing a Blanket Wrap over them to keep them warm. We always try to talk to the people that we hand out to, and one guy mentioned to Kate that he would be sleeping in the park that night. We hope that he found a Thanksgiving meal that day and was at least able to keep warm.
We also taught our first Christmas Sewing Class at Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries women and children’s shelter. All 10 of our machines were in use the entire 4 hours and with the help of Lucy and Melanie, two girls that came with us, there was also a hand sewing station! By the end of the class, there were completed mittens, makeup carriers, scarves, bags, etc that the women had the opportunity to either wrap for someone else or keep it for themselves. We found that most people were making gifts for family and friends (we loved to see that they were thinking of others). We were very pleased with how this session went and will definitely be teaching more individual classes at shelters.
Now that it is January, Kate and I are excited about leading another MLK Jr. Day of Service Project with Royal Oak Middle School Student Council (a HUGE thank you to Mrs. Derminer and Ms. Taylor for helping us coordinate this again!). Last year, the students cut, sewed, and tied over 100 mittens for a local homeless shelter. This year we will match that number (and hopefully go over). Stay tuned on social media for upcoming pictures of the MLK Jr. Day of Service being held at Berkley High School.
We have an awesome partnership in the workings right now for Stagecrafters youth production of Haphazardly Ever After at the end of February and beginning of March! It is a fairy tale comedy about a king and queen who just want to live peacefully, but their grown children are making it hard. We have been meeting with Erin McKay, Alan Semonian and other staff members to find ways to promote and raise money at the show. All donations we receive will help us buy more fleece for Blanket Wraps and supplies for future classes. Kate and I are so excited to see this play, meet everyone and encourage you to come support local theater: BUY TICKETS HERE.
Lastly, Kate and I are in the process of planning a sewing program at Hope Against Trafficking, a human trafficking rescue program for women in Pontiac. We had the chance to go through their remodeled house (where they will host 16 rescued women) and were stunned to learn how trafficking is such a huge problem, especially in Michigan. Kate and I learned that once these girls and women are rescued, they normally have no idea how to find housing, a job, or how to take care of themselves. We will be helping with this transition into a new life by teaching a sewing program in the spring.
Donations (click here to donate) are always appreciated and please follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram) to see and read about what we are doing! 2020 is off to a great start!
Thanks for reading,
Mackenzie and Kate
