_edited.png)
Our story began with a DECA business club idea and a sewing machine from our grandmother who helped us with our vision of serving our community. We grew up volunteering through our church making sandwiches for the needy, sorting toys with Toys for Tots, Mobile Hope club via RRHS. We are Sophia and Elie, most recently called "quaranteenagers", twin sisters, best friends and high school varsity soccer players from Ashburn. We realized back in March that sitting on the couch watching the overwhelming COVID-19 pandemic wasn't productive and we were left feeling hopeless. That's when we made it our mission to spread hope by sewing cotton non-medical masks and wanted to make an impact - no matter how small- to help with the PPE shortage. Together we founded Hopes and Seams, a small mask relief business. For the last few months, we continue to donate and sell masks to our community. We have supplied over 3000 masks to various organizations including Mobile Hope of Loudoun, INOVA Children's Hospital, Cancer Schar Institute, the elderly community, LCPS teachers, Food for Neighbors, local Chick-Fil-A restaurants, Navajo Indians and other vulnerable populations, just to name a few!
We have learned a lot of new skills throughout our joint venture including putting together a business plan, leveraging social media, and creating a web site. Part of our vision is to talk with medical providers about COVID-19 and listen to their feedback on social distancing measures, mask wearing and asking them what hope means to them.
With the purchase of a Hopes and Seams mask, we are making an impact together....because every mask sold helps us donate more masks to those most vulnerable. We look forward to scoring goals on the soccer field again and graduating from RRHS next year. Until then, we continue to spread hope to our community one mask at a time!
-Founders: Elie & Sophia Clarke
50% of the proceeds from the Hopes & Seams partnership will be given to the The Greater Good Initiative. These funds will be used for digital and physical marketing materials, community service, outreach, and expanding our organization's reach. Hopes & Seams also donates one mask for each mask purchased, and we decided to give our extra masks to a homeless center in the D.C. Maryland Virginia area. GGI recently launched a campaign called the Time For 9 Toolkit, that seeks to address the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals. Our work with Time For 9 moved us to partner with a like minded organization - like Hopes & Seams - and ensure public health equity for those at a disadvantage.
To buy a mask, visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/HopesandSeams4u?coupon=GGICARES. Type GGI in the notes section at checkout!
Kommentare