Sewing Lab

AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY TEACHING THE LEGACY OF SEWING FOR EMPLOYMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND ENRICHMENT.

EVERY INDIVIDUAL DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL DIGNITY. HERE AT THE SEWING LABS, WE UNDERSTAND HOW TO HELP CREATE VIABLE PATHS TOWARD THAT FINANCIAL DIGNITY THROUGH THE LEGACY, VOCATION, AND TRADE THAT IS SEWING. BY TEACHING THE CORE FUNDAMENTALS OF SEWING, WE ARE PREPARING A PIPELINE OF STITCHERS FOR OUR GREATER KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY. THROUGHOUT 2022, WE WERE FLOODED WITH EMPLOYERS AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO SOUGHT TO HIRE TRAINED STITCHERS TO FILL THEIR HIRING NEEDS.TRAINING: TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS OF BUSINESSES HIRING STITCHERS, IN 2022 WE OFFICIALLY PARTNERED WITH BOTH THE MISSOURI AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR AS A REGISTERED APPRENTICE SPONSOR AND ALSO TO SERVE AS A RELATED TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR INDUSTRIAL SEWING MACHINE OPERATOR TRAINING. THIS IS OFFERED AS PART OF OUR SEWING SALON TRAINING PROGRAM, WHICH RESULTS IN AN APPRENTICESHIP AS PART OF COURSE COMPLETION. THIS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM CLEARLY INCREASES THE EMPLOYMENT VALUE OF OUR CLIENTS IN OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. IN 2022, THE SEWING LABS SERVED 264 INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS IN 4032 HOURS OF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. WE HAD 193 VOLUNTEERS SERVE THE ORGANIZATION IN 6990 HOURS THEIR TIME. IN 2022, THE SEWING LABS RECEIVED IN KIND DONATIONS OF 5355 POUNDS OF FABRIC, NOTIONS AND SEWING MACHINES.EMOTIONAL DIGNITY: THE SEWING LABS EXPERIENCES FIRSTHAND THE TREMENDOUS HEALTH AND WELLNESS BENEFITS THAT OUR CLIENTS GAIN THROUGH SEWING. EVERY DAY, WE SEE THE REMARKABLE BOOST TO SELF-CONFIDENCE AND THE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT THIS SKILL BRINGS. SEWING BOOSTS MENTAL HEALTH BY ACTING AS A RELIEF VALVE FROM THE PRESSURES THAT SURROUND US IN OUR WORLD TODAY, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN AN AT-RISK SITUATION. FOCUSING ON ONE THING, SUCH AS SEWING, CAN CALM THE MIND, REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY, AND LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE. THIS SINGULAR FOCUS PUTS US INTO CREATIVE "FLOW", WHICH SOME SAY IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS.GREEN INITIATIVES: SINCE OUR INCEPTION, REPURPOSING, RE-USE, RECYCLING, AND UPCYCLING HAVE BEEN A FOUNDATION FOR ALL THAT WE DO. IT IS THROUGH SEWING THAT WE SUPPORT AND ELEVATE SUSTAINABILITY. EVERY DAY WE ARE REPURPOSING MATERIAL, MACHINES, AND NOTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE SEWING LABS MAINTAINS THE MINDSET THAT LEARNING MENDING AND REPAIR ADD TREMENDOUS VALUE TO OUR WORLD.