Donate Today to Receive a Copy of the Love Bug Pattern & Instructions!
Rochester Nonprofit Needs Public Help to Donate/Sew Love Bugs for Youth Mental Health Awareness.
In their continued efforts to use creative trades to educate and inspire the next generation, the Creativity Shell is partnering with Moda Fabrics, Bernina Sewing Machines, Hobbs Bonded Fiber and everyone with a sewing machine or hand sewing needle to Sew Love Bugs to support youth mental health awareness.
The Creativity Shell is a nonprofit organization on a mission to use creative trades to educate and inspire the next generation of makers. The organization teaches sewing, textile arts, cooking, building, and other creative trades to students in their private studios, libraries, schools, ABA therapy centers, the juvenile justice system, as well as shelters that rescue kids from homelessness and human trafficking. All of their classes are designed to build confidence and self-esteem, while teaching essential life and practical skills.
After working directly with sex-trafficking survivors, homeless youths and many other children across the US, the Creativity Shell is finding that the decline in the mental health of youths is being used against them by predators. The organization found that human traffickers are preying on children suffering from conditions such as anxiety disorders, low self-confidence/self-esteem and children from low-income households.
To back up the Creativity Shell’s findings, according to the National Center for Children in Poverty, “one in five children birth to 18 has a diagnosable mental disorder and 50% of children and youth in the child welfare system have mental health problems.” According to the National Foster Youth Institute, “it’s estimated that 60% of child sex trafficking victims have a history in the child welfare system. Human traffickers will prey on individuals who are most vulnerable, which is why foster children have a greater risk of becoming victims than those who aren’t in the system.” For these reasons, the Creativity Shell is planning to hire mental health therapists at their new Design Centers in Houston and Rochester to provide FREE mental health therapy to children in need.
When Moda Fabrics, Bernina Sewing Machines and Hobbs Bonded Fiber learned about the Creativity Shell and their commitment to include free mental health therapy to students in their arts education classes, the companies were excited to use their resources to help the organization raise money for a great cause. The Sew a Little Love Bug Mental Health Awareness Campaign was developed as a way to help the sewing world sew products for a great cause and to help children receive a handmade comfort toy to help those struggling with mental health issues, know that someone out there cares.
To participate in the Sew a Little Love Bug campaign, sewers of all skill levels (including beginners) make Love Bugs that will be donated to children in need. The pattern along with instructions and supplies needed to make love bugs is available on the Creativity Shell website at www.creativityshellroc.org. Sewers are instructed to leave a handwritten or printed note inside the pocket or label of the Love Bugs they make and the note should be encouraging and provide well wishes to the youth receiving the Love Bug.
Once Love Bugs are made, they can be dropped off at the Creativity Shell or at participating Moda Fabrics and Bernina Sewing Machines retailers across the country. By June 1, a list of all locations will be available where children from across the country can pick up a Love Bug FREE of charge.
“The Creativity Shell hopes the Sew A Little Love Bug campaign will help shine a light on youth mental health struggles,” said Shelancia Daniel, Creative Director at Creativity Shell. “As a certified Youth Mental Health First Responder, the mental health of children is something very close to my heart. This is an issue we cannot take for granted any longer. We are grateful to companies like Moda fabrics, Bernina, and Hobbs for sewing a little love and helping us drive awareness to an important cause.”
All funds raised from this Campaign will be used to provide arts education and free mental health therapy to children at the Creativity Shell.
If you do not sew but would like to contribute to this campaign, please donate directly to the Creativity Shell at www.creativityshell.org/donate.
