STRENGTHENING THE FABRIC OF THEIR COMMUNITIES

This organization gives away sewing machines— and encourages the recipients to help others, too.

- EMMA PATCH

What is the mission of The Sewing Machine Project? We accept donations of sewing machines from people who no longer need them and give them to people for whom they could be a life-changing tool. We also offer sewing education.

How do sewing machines change lives? They can allow you to make clothes for your family, mend things or even start a small business. But more deeply, we find that when people come together to sew, their hands are busy, and their conversations are about problem-solving and helping each other. It’s amazing how much community is formed. We have seen this with many of the refugee resettlement groups we work with.

We also give a lot of machines to survivors of sex trafficking. Their instructors have told us that the people they’re working with have often lost the ability to plan ahead. They’re in fight-or-flight mode. But when you sew something, you look at what you want to make as a finished product and take the steps to get there. It reteaches the skill of planning in steps.