Sew to Serve Others with The Sewing Machine Project

At WeAllSew, we believe creativity has the power to bring us together in profound ways. For many, creativity is the common thread that connects them to people on the other side of the world. In 2020, the need for a creative outlet was higher than ever. We were proud to see the inspiring ways our community came together to use their creativity to make a difference. To close out 2020, we want to shine a light on a special organization that is also making a big difference, one sewing machine at a time.

The Sewing Machine Project is an organization based in Madison, Wisconsin, bringing sewing into peoples’ lives by offering sewing machines, tools, and education. The organization was founded in 2005 by Margaret Jankowski after she read an article about a woman who lost her sewing machine during a tsunami in Southeast Asia. The story inspired Margaret to begin collecting sewing machines to send to those whose lives could be mended by creativity. Since then, The Sewing Machine Project has donated over 3,000 sewing machines to locations around the world. In addition to collecting machines, The Sewing Machine Project also offers classes through local community centers and free mending at three Wisconsin locations. The Sewing Machine Project hopes recipients can use these machines to learn new skills, build self‐confidence, and potentially contribute to their livelihoods, as well as the well‐being of their families and communities. Recipients are also encouraged to pay it forward in a sewing‐related way.

If you are interested in donating a machine or serger that you no longer need, The Sewing Machine Project accepts donations at various drop off locations. You can also volunteer to help prepare machines for shipment or teach an education class. You can also donate money to support the organization, preparation, and shipping of machines, along with their local classes and national curriculum.

Together, we can show the world how creativity can change the world!

What you can do to join us in our mission to Sew to Serve others:

• Share your volunteer sewing efforts through social media, making sure to tag @berninausa on Facebook and Instagram, along with the hashtag #weallsewtoserve.
• Share your Sew to Serve story at our WeAllSew Community section by uploading a few pictures to the “Sew to Serve” section in the drop-down menu, and add your story about how you volunteer your sewing talents to help those in need.

Please add a comment to this post and share any organizations you would love for us to feature as a Sew to Serve highlight!