Growing in Grace

Spring has sprung!  And there are growing things everywhere (as evidenced by the amount of pollen in the air!)  2018-2019 has been a year of tremendous growth for Peace of Thread as well!  We saw a 33% increase in profits last year, and Denise Smith says we are “maxed out” with twelve seamstresses!  Our volunteering is booming too.  We’re pulling in volunteers from new places, such as local high schools.

  But numbers are only part of the story.    If you want to understand the real impact that Peace of Thread is having, you need to meet our seamstresses in person.  They are some of the most vibrant women I know. Come to one of our shows, and you’ll meet Noor* who came to the U.S. as a refugee back in 2003.  She now trains our seamstresses, and you can see how confident and in charge of things she is.  You’ll see Maria’s* kind and smiling face and hear how much her English has improved.  Anisa* was so shy when she first came to the U.S., and now she’s very outgoing. Our seamstresses gain new confidence and social skills as they spend time in a welcoming American community.

  And If you drop by our training center in Clarkston, Georgia, you can see women from around the world working with women from the U.S. to create our wonderful bags.     Seamstresses learn which fabric colors look best together and how to make sure their cross stitching is perfect.  The sewing machines hum as a new trainee learns her craft. Occasionally someone shows up with a baby, and everyone drops their work to coo and fuss.  Peace of Thread empowers women to work and be mothers at the same time.

Wherever you meet us, you’ll see smiles and hear laughter as we live and learn together.

In conclusion, Peace of Thread has grown in the profits we’ve made and the number of employees we’ve hired.   But the real blooming is going on inside of our seamstresses.  It’s all thanks to you: our donors and volunteers!  Thank you so much for your support!

*Name changed to protect privacy