Sharing

As we talked about at our meeting on Wednesday, Karen and Mary have been teaching an introductory sewing class for the past few  months at 650 Westminster, the transitional living center in Venice.  We have shared some photos from this class and also some of the highs and lows of working with families in transition.  One thing we are continually reminded of when we're helping women and children in flux is that chaos and untidiness frequently go hand in hand and neither makes teaching and scheduling easy.

Karen and Mary's patience has been sorely tried with inconsistent attendance, inadequate infant/child care (which makes teaching almost impossible) and the emotional upheaval in these young women's lives which completely affects their approach to learning.  Last night, the final session, was no different.  Only one of the mothers showed up, there was no child care in place (and she has two children under two) and Mary spent her entire time trying to sooth an unhappy infant.  In other words, a real lesson in frustration.

But, as you will see from the happy expression on Sheilia's face, making this custom bag gave her enormous pleasure and the fact that it is an original and  'nobody else in the world has one like it' is, quite simply, what it's all about.  The bag looks pretty impressive, too!

We were really touched that some many of you expressed a willingness to teach the moms a skill that they could use but before we start any classes, whether it's cooking or nutrition or 'back to school' basics. we really need to establish with the on site social worker a schedule, a sign-up sheet, an RSVP system, childcare and an understanding with the mothers who sign up for these classes that they are obligated to show up and be ready.  If any of you have any ideas or would like to work on some sort of draft form that we could use for the classes, that would be great, because until we have more of a commitment from the facility and from the women, it really isn't worth our time, and this is something I think we all would like to see working out well.

So, please share any thoughts that you may have on how we can help these young woman but also ideas on how we can make it mutually worth our time.

Remember, I've got a basement full of hoodies!  I will  be taking a big bag over to Toni's house (after the Fourth) and Isabelle has offered to come here and help sort.  Any other offers would be welcome.

Today at the Container new volunteer Claire Chapman wandered over from the Farmer's Mkt to talk to us further about her enthusiasm for getting her children involved in community work.  We had brought boxes of books up on Wednesday from the Brewery storage which were at my house.  When it was suggested that maybe she and her children could divide them into age-appropriate piles and box them for us, she was keen to get started so took all six boxes home.  (YAY!!!)  Here's a pic of the books we hauled to Topanga from downtown and our downtown storage container.

 Another thing we talked about was sometimes donations need a quick wash or tumble 'round the drier to look really good.  This would be such a help to us.  I love this photo that Karen took of drying shoes which she'd just washed.  They look like new, don't they!?