after yesterday's post on money i had some great responses. it seems i'm not alone in wanting to make change, help people, and do more with my talents. so we decided it was time to get busy. i'm copying the email we sent out below. one thing to note, i hope this doesn't stop here, i hope that if you feel inspired to participate that you'll reach out in your own community. because, together we can instill hope, with little more than what we've already been blessed with. thank you.

WANTED: Used PILLOWCASES! Plain, printed, embroidered or with characters. We want them all!

We are sending this e-mail to request a donation for a humanitarian service project. Little Dresses in Africa is an organization that provides relief to the children of Central Africa with simple dresses made from used pillowcases. As mothers, we can often feel ineffective beyond our own walls, but we think that together we can make a big difference in this world. Each drop in the bucket counts and promotes well-being for them AND for us.

The inspiration for this project comes from Mama to Mama. From her site:
"As crafters, the reasons we create are many. Just one may be to spread a little bit of peace into the world, to make a small but meaningful difference in one person's life through a simple act of crafting with intention. Mama to Mama seeks to find ways to connect handcrafters with mothers, children and families in need of a little bit of handmade love." Our goal is to have at least 100 dresses to mail by the end of the month.

We are asking our family and friends to take a few minutes (it took me less than five!) to go through their linen closets and set aside any pillowcases that you would like to donate. No cutting or sewing skills are required on your part, just the time to de-clutter your closet for a good cause.If you have any pillowcases that you would like to donate, please e-mail us back and we will arrange a time to pick them up, or you can deliver them. We would like to arrange a pick-up no later than June 15th, which is less than two weeks away! We would also like to ask that you please forward this along to family and friends who you think would be interested in donating to this project.

If you are interested in cutting and sewing along with us, collecting donations, or contributing in any other way, we’d be happy to have you. Email back for the times and address. If you’re too far away to join us, please consider creating your own group. Together we can instill worthiness in the soul; we can instill hope for a brighter future filled with love.Thank you for taking time to read and consider this. Please let us know if you have any questions. We are excited to see what we can do together to make this happen!

with love,
jenica jekinek@hotmail.com
and hannah spazz41@hotmail.com