Dear Claire,
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you are enjoying the little heart I sent you from Stitch Buffalo. I’m so inspired by this organization: I think it is such a lovely example of sharing love and community.
This is from their website:
Stitch Buffalo began with the simple desire to gather and create. We aim to empower refugee women of Buffalo by providing meaningful work and a fair wage. Like the domino effect, this small but powerful financial independence infuses each woman, her family and in turn, her community. Through the creation of beautiful, handcrafted textiles, she is nurturing her cultural heritage while assuring her self-worth as a woman and a human being.
Each week a growing group gathers to weave and embroider. It is a time of laughter, socialization, curiosity and learning. Colors and patterns are chosen, beads are strung and women on the edge of society redefine their identity while building bridges of confidence and community.
We have grown into a thriving community of over 55 women from Bhutan, Burma, Nepal, Thailand and Angola. Each week these women come together to form a Refugee Women’s Workshop, sewing handcrafted goods for sale within the community.
One of the things I love is that there are so many little ways to help Stitch Buffalo – buying a pin, selling a basket of pins at community events or book clubs or other gatherings, helping at classes, just spreading the word, or donating embroidery supplies – perhaps discovered as you do a little tidying up! And then Stitch Buffalo resells any materials they cannot use as another way to support its programming.
I do hope that anyone reading our blog over here might think to share a little love with Stitch Buffalo.
And, dear Claire, from my part of the world to yours: a little Buffalove this Valentine’s Day!
Much love
Sam