MACKENZIE M.
CO-FOUNDER, MK BLANKET WRAPS
Mackenzie is a Senior at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. She graduated from Detroit Country Day and is a member of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica. During her high school years, Mackenzie was President of Student Council, a member of the HOSA club and a 4 year multi sport Varsity athlete culminating in a State Championship Title for the women’s soccer team. She was also the 2020 Vice President for HAVEN’s Youth Advisory Board and Youth Chairman for the 2019 Detroit Girls’ World Expo (no 2020 Expo due COVID). Even though she in college, Mackenzie balances her course work and investment clubs with her desire to never stop helping the homeless in Michigan.What do you like most about your work with MK Blanket Wraps?
My favorite part about MK Blanket Wraps is teaching the Summer Sewing Classes. I love that MK Blanket Wraps doesn’t have to stop during the summer….we get to keep sewing blanket wraps AND teach others how to sew! I enjoy getting to know all the students and seeing their creativity when it comes to designing and sewing projects. They also give us some great ideas on modifying our blanket wraps. In addition to sewing and handing out blanket wraps this winter, we will be teach a winter sewing workshop in Detroit. I am hoping we are able to return to teaching someday.
KATE M.
CO-FOUNDER, MK BLANKET WRAPS
Kate is a Sophomore at Florida State University and will be working towards a degree in Nursing. She graduated from Clearwater Central Catholic High School and is a member of St. Cecelia Catholic Church. During her high school years, she was a member of the Clearwater Central Catholic High School Community Service Club and Chairman of the 2021-2022 Pinellas County Youth Action Committee (YAC) Community Service Group. She also loves to workout, read and babysit (she wants a large family someday!). Kate wants people to know “even though I am in Florida, I am still actively working on MK Blanket Wraps. I am sewing down here and doing everything I would in Michigan. Being in Florida has made me think more creatively and get more people involved in helping us hand out this winter.”
Recently Kate was awarded a 2022 Bank of America Student Leadership Award Internship. The BOA Student Leadership Program is a national program that awards high school students with a paid summer internship in a local non profit. Kate is spending her summer at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast working with the management team on the business as well as the program side of running the Boys and Girls Club. (Student Leaders are selected based on their leadership, background, and passion for bettering their communities.) Kate will end her 8 week internship participating in a week‐long Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC (remote this year). She is learning a lot and can’t wait to apply some of this knowledge to MK Blanket Wraps!
Kate attended Detroit Country Day her Freshman and Sophomore year where she was a member of the Volleyball team. She graduated from Royal Oak Middle School in June 2019 where she was a member of the ROMS Student Council and Michigan Junior Honor Society.
Kate is honored to have received the 2022 Bank of America Student Leader® Award (Internship at Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast), 2019 Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce Youth Achievement Award, 2019 Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries Youth Volunteer Spotlight Recipient, 2019 SEEN Young Changemakers in Metro Detroit Award, 2019 Girls World Expo “Girl of Merit” Award, 2018 Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award and 2017 Royal Oak Youth Assistance Youth Recognition Award for her continued work with the homeless in and around Detroit.
What do you like most about your work with MK Blanket Wraps?
What I like most about our work with MK Blanket Wraps is the people we meet. So many times we will walk into a shelter and come out with 5 new friends. During our summer class, we develop real friendships with the students in our class. Every class was interesting whether there was 3 people or 15 because of all the personalities in the room, even the little kids. I met so many smart and talented kids during the sewing class that I could play with for hours. Overall the people we meet when we hand out our blanket wraps or teach our summer sewing class is a complete blessing and my favorite part of MK Blanket Wraps.
AVERY M.
LEAD VOLUNTEER, MK BLANKET WRAPS
Avery is an 11th grader at Clearwater Central Catholic High School. When MK Blanket Wraps was founded back in 2016, she was quick to jump in and help in any way possible even though she was only in 3rd grade. Besides sewing Blanket Wraps and helping Mackenzie and Kate hand out Blanket Wraps, Avery has taken a leadership position in teaching our summer sewing classes to the women and children at the Genesis House in Detroit. As one of our students once said after seeing Avery, “if that little girl can sew, so can I!” We are grateful to have “Miss Avery” (what one of her favorite students at the Genesis House would call out every time she walked in) on our team all these years!
In addition to volunteering for MK Blanket Wraps, Avery volunteers at a local vet, performs violin concerts for an assisted living facility and is a member of the Pinellas County Youth Action Committee (YAC) Community Service Group. She hopes to become a vet someday!
