Chloe, a high school senior who lives in Indiana, came to the Rising Village Shop in February with an idea. She wanted to use her sewing skills to create something, offer it for sale within her network of family and friends, and give the money to Rising Village to help us fund a high school student's education. A week later, she had orders for fabric scrunchies coming in as fast as she could stitch them. After four weeks, she is winding down her fundraiser after bringing in almost $500. She has also been asked to speak in elementary schools in her town about how we can use our gifts, talents, and creativity to make life a little better for others. Not only is she sharing her sewing skills, she is sharing the story of Philomena, a young woman in Ghana who has just started high school. Philomena went to live with relatives after the death of her parents, and was in and out of school until Rising Village entered her into our Education program to pay her school fees. Finally, she was able to stay in the classroom and complete junior high school. Her dream was to enter and finish high school, but she was delayed when she became pregnant during her final year of junior high. She finished ninth grade, but didn't enter high school because she wanted to take care of her infant son during his first year. She never stopped believing that she could still test well enough to start high school, and last January she did it. She started high school on February 14th.
Chloe, who is finishing her high school education, is passionate about helping Philomena finish hers. And Chloe isn't finished creating for change. She is planning to make something else to sell when she finishes delivering her scrunchies orders.
We're inspired by Chloe, and her project has us thinking about our own gifts and talents and how we might be able to use them to make a positive change for someone else. A creative, short-term project is an amazing way to honor the talents and skills you possess and use them to make the world more beautiful. We're calling these Creative Flash Fundraisers, and we're encouraging you to join Chloe in starting one. You choose your time frame, what you will create, and a goal for how much you want to raise. Chloe took one month to make and sell scrunchies for her Creative Flash Fundraiser. You can make yours as short or long as you choose. We'll give you resource materials to help tell the story and we'll help you get the word out through Rising Village's social media.
What can you create to make someone's world a little brighter? We would love for you to email us with your ideas and we'll help you get started. Reach out to us at: lisa@risingvillage.org, or jennifer@risingvillage.org.
Let's create for change!