Dear Everyone,
Today Handmade shipped 1,800 comfort scarves to 53 shelters for abused women in time for their Mother’s Day parties. This was a huge shipping, made possible by the generous grant bestowed by UPS. The photo below shows me standing by the boxes awaiting UPS pick-up. I am so proud of all our good work. We accomplish amazing feats together. Thank you so much.
Mother’s Day is a difficult time at the shelters. Cut off from their abusers, the women are also cut off from their families. At times like this, they may regret their decision to leave, they may hope that if they return, things will be better. The shelters try to counteract these regrets by giving fun parties. That’s where Handmade enters the picture. The shelters give the women our scarves at the celebration. Receiving a beautiful, unexpected gift helps combat their regrets and encourages them to continue at the shelter where they receive the education and therapy that will allow them to live the rest of their lives without abuse. Of course, receiving a comfort scarf isn’t the only encouragement, but it’s part of the entire program.
As a result of today’s shipping, our YTD numbers show we have delivered 5,000 comfort scarves, 80 hats, and 280 baby items. We have a small shipping in May and then we’re going to put all our efforts to getting ready for the holidays. I expect we’ll ship another 5,000 scarves between September and November and at least 2,000 hats (for the kids who arrive at the shelters with their mothers).
Since Handmade started at the end of 2008, we have delivered more than 96,700 scarves to 70 shelters! It’s incredible. Even I’m impressed. By the end of the year, we should go well over 100,000. I invite you right now to join our celebration.
We need your continued support. Yes, we have accomplished a lot, but we’ve barely scratched the surface. We can’t rest on our laurels. We still have plenty to do. We reached this point one scarf at a time, and it may have been the scarf you knit, the one you wound the Magic Ball for, the one you wrapped, or the one you put in the shipping boxes. Thank you all so much. We’re a great team.
Love,
Leslye