Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The End.....?

When I went to the Together for Adoption conference in Austin, I was pretty set on the fact that the Tacky for Headband era was over. My plan was simple-bring 120 with me. Sell them. Give 40% of the money to the refugees that made them and the rest to Project Hopeful. I did not want this to be a "BEMM" project. I wanted this to be about serving the refugees in my community and an awesome organization(Project Hopeful). Period. Sell them and move on. Um...Turns out HE had different plans. I sold out of the headbands quickly. I was able to give the refugees more money than I thought and had a blast supporting Project Hopeful. When my last headband was sold I got an email from a local friend who just finished running a race with a tacky headband...apparently the headband did a great job not only holding her hair in place, but being a super cute accessory. She wanted to throw a headband party! Then even more ideas came my way-(I can't wait to share them) Anyway, it was obvious the headbands weren't done. As I looked around at all the t-shirts that said, "It's not about me"...I realized..I maybe done, but God's not. For every headband I sell-It means a local refugee family is supported by their own two hands, it means another great cause can be supported whether it is BEMM or another awesome cause! So, I came home..ready to go. Ready to keep going. Keep selling. Keep spreading the tacky!
Then it happened...The whole vision of Because Every Mother Matter changed. It was no longer about the mommma's over there, it became about the mommas here. How, as an organization I can connect, empower women and families in my own community and at the same time help mommas/families across the world. I am excited to start working with local mommas/women who are overcoming domestic violence as well. Imagine the impact! To help a momma in need locally by empowering her to create a product that she is paid for that will in turn be sold to bring hope and change to a momma overseas!?
My challenge....
What I thought was the end became the beginning...yet, it may end...WHY?
We lack sewing machines. I delivered fabric to the refugees over a week ago and we keep running into the roadblock of the broken sewing machine!

So, here I am...wanting to help people help themselves by helping others and then this...
We are back ordered on our headbands. Have a huge upcoming launch of a limited edition product. This has the potential to not only feed families here, personally empower them, but also support several non-profits!

The need- We need either sewing machines or the money to purchase them.

If you would like to help purchase a sewing machine you can donate to the right. If you would like to donate one...please message me

3 comments:

Paula said...

Guess who has a sewing machine she has never really used?

Layla Payton said...

Oh, I am so happy about this, I could just piddle! LOL! YES! The tackiness is going to keep on, I just know it!

Jacqueline said...

Hi Stephanie - I don't know if you'll want to post this publicly or just peruse the information, but this post so reminded me of a thriving project here in Nashville called the Magdalene Project. You can read all about it on the site, but in a nutshell, they take in abused, addicted women from the street and with God's love, try to rehab them. In the process, the women create, with their own hands, beautiful products that the organization sells.

Here is a link to the site:

http://www.thistlefarms.org/index.php/

Becca Stevens is the passionate, inspired founder, just like you, and she's doing great things for the community - and God's people - just like you.

Maybe her foundation can be a guide for yours, or maybe you don't need the map at all, but I was prompted to share from your post.