After three years of helping youth find their way through fashion, Sew What has run out of funding and needs some help themselves, and decided to kick off their fundraising campaign with a fashion show this past Sunday in Villaways Park in North York.
“It was an opportunity for these kids and youth to show the community all the hard work they've put into their artistic endeavours this summer and celebrate together as a community,” says Kim Dayman, who handles the communications for the program. “We're hoping that the magic they created we can share with everyone and it will inspire donations to our crowd funding campaign to help positive community engagement like this to continue.”
Their needs are modest. They want to raise just $3,000 to pay for things like field trips, food, guest speakers, and of course sewing machines and fabric.
Daniel Thompson is one success story, getting inspiration from his six weeks with the program to apply to the Toronto Film School's fashion department. “The interviewer was overwhelmed that I had learned so much,” he wrote to the Sew What organizers after his interview. “She said she had to have me in the school.”
Keisha James, 21, signed up at the beginning three years ago.
“I came into the program shortly after my mom passed away. It was nice to have a space where I could go tune out and do whatever I wanted.
"I was really surprised by how hands-on everything was and all the experience and inspiration we got from designers. The trips we went on were really great because normally I don’t have the opportunity to go to places like the
Design Exchange or the
Textile Museum. It provided lots and lots of inspiration. This is where I’ve made most of my friends and contacts to other art programs and volunteering opportunities.
“The experience here at Sew What also helped me get into the college program I wanted because it’s rounded out not only my personality, but also my skill.”
Sunday's event went well, complete with live music, and Dayman hopes the many who showed up will end up either
donating ($5 gets you a $5 Starbucks card), or at least spreading the word to those who might.
Sew What operates under the auspices of
Art Starts, and was funded for its initial three years by a grant from the
Trillium Foundation.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Kim Dayman