Meet Our U.S. Ambassadors
Dress a Girl Headquarters!
We've relocated to Forest City, Iowa!
You can email us at Rachel@h4wi.org
And write to us:
Hope 4 Women International
PO Box 14
Forest City, IA 50436
Hello, my name is Rose Anne and am excited to introduce myself as the Phoenix area Dress a Girl Ambassador. My husband and I moved full time to Sun City, Arizona from Washington state in 2010 after I retired from a long career in nursing at Seattle Children's Hospital. I remain a true to the blue and green Washingtonian, Go Seahawks! And try to go “home “ to visit a least a few times a year!
I am crafter at heart and am still an avid card maker and quilter. I started sewing in grade school, making doll clothes, then moving on to my own clothes in junior high and high school. God lead me to DAG in 2011 through a friend at my church and I have been an active participant since. Dress a Girl is a passion that I love volunteering for. I am privileged to be blessing little girls all over the world with the beautiful dresses I and others make for them. I was able to travel to Uganda in 2014 with Hope 4 Kids and Hope 4 Women, bring over 250 dresses with me. A highlight of that trip was dressing the sweet Ugandan girls in the dresses I had a hand in sewing! It was so much fun to bring home pictures and show the ladies at church little girls dressed in dresses they had made!
The Phoenix DAG group meets once a month to sew, sort and size dresses. We have fun and good fellowship while working together and a yummy potluck lunch is always shared. New friends are welcome, check out the Facebook page: Dress A Girl Around The World – Phoenix for details of our next Serve Day. A goal for 2018 is to start sewing classes at the Phoenix Dream Center, teaching the residents there how to make dresses for DAG, please pray for this project as we look ahead to next year!
Email: dagphoenix@gmail.com
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Carol
AZ (Tucson)
My mom taught me to sew as a child, and I made most of my clothes until I became a nurse, wife and mother of 4 handsome boys - my "mighty men." My sewing was limited to curtains, attaching Boy Scout Merit badges, Halloween costumes, and pajamas! I now have the joy of sewing with eyelet, lace and girly pink fabrics, and exploring the clearance racks for cute t-shirts in the girl's department! I am so excited to know that something so fun can bless little girls. Besides sewing, I also love to swim, garden and scrapbook."
Email: dressagirltucson@gmail.com
Though I hadn’t sewn in forty years, in July 2019, I searched online for “sewing charity,” thinking it might match my waning energy and complaining knees! I downloaded the measurements and armhole patterns from Dress a Girl Around the World and started sewing. I made mistakes, poked myself with pins and bled on fabrics that had to be rewashed, sewed the fronts of dresses to the backs, cut out the armholes from the bottoms of dresses and many other ingenious mistakes; I’ve made them all!
Still, donations poured in and six months later people began coming forward to help sew, measure, cut, pack, provide snacks and entertain us while we work.
Our town is known for the arts, and our volunteers enjoy creatively matching their pockets, bias tape and trim to the fabrics as much as the meditative act of sewing straight seams. What a beautiful combination! You can follow our work, see pictures and Like us on Facebook at Facebook/DAGsedona. If you’d like to contribute in any way or talk about the project, please email me, Lin Ennis, at DAGsedona@gmail.com
Donna!! Arkansas!
I learned to sew by sewing doll clothes as a child. I learned to make more complicated items in a high school home economics class. After being married and having children, I learned to make children’s clothes. I learned about Dress a Girl from my adult daughter when she told me about a missionary who took the dresses to the mission field. The Lord blessed me with a very nice sewing machine that could quilt, embroider, and do just about everything I could think of, and I began to look for ways to use my sewing machine to bless others. I have been amazed at how many ways you can use a sewing machine to help others. After retiring as a nurse in 2018, I found I had more time to use the sewing machine for projects to help people. Dress a Girl is such an important project to change lives for the better! I look forward to helping as many girls as I can.
My two favorite hobbies are sewing and camping. The most fun is taking a sewing machine camping!
Email: whiteracing2005@yahoo.com
Suzanne
CA (SF Bay Area)
After 32 years of marriage, my life took an unexpected turn when my husband asked for a divorce. The next months were extremely difficult, but God was with me every step of the way, guiding and guarding. In fact, one morning in my devotions early in the process, the prayer in my devotional was this: "Holy Spirit, you know how much I hate change. Please help me to embrace this new life that you are offering me." I was stunned that this was part of God's plan, but that knowledge was certainly sustaining in the months to come. One evening, several months later I was sitting alone in my tiny new house, praying and contemplating all the changes that had occurred and really in awe of God’s goodness to me and helping me to ‘embrace this new life that he had offered me.’ But it occurred to me that my focus had been totally on myself over those several months. Now, it was time to start thinking about a new way to minister to other people. So I started praying that evening, specifically asking God for a new area of ministry; and I added…"oh, and, by the way, if it could be something CREATIVE, that would be SO cool!" A few of weeks later, I stumbled across the DAG website and within a few minutes literally burst into tears, knowing that this was a DIRECT answer to prayer. I gathered a few friends and we had our first Sew-Fest in May, 2011. Now we have over 300 women involved and have made over 10,000 dresses. I'm convinced that God gives us gifts and then when we use them for His good and His glory, he doubles the blessings and we get so much joy in simply USING those gifts! Addendum: In an additional amazing gift from God, I reconnected with a crush from grade-school and we've now been married almost 6 years! Isn't God simply FULL of surprises??! You can find info about our DAG group at www.dressagirlsfbayarea.com or email me at suzbeck@yahoo.com
Diana! Southbay, CA!
My name is Diana Calhoun and with my husband, Don we live in Redondo Beach, CA. After retirement from a career in Investment Management, a girlfriend encouraged me to learn to quilt, and thus began my love of sewing. I was introduced to Dress a Girl in 2015 through a Bible study group that was looking for a service project, and then when our church was planning its annual service weekend, my pastor asked if I would take the lead in organizing a Dress A Girl sewing group.
In 2017, I traveled to Uganda on a mission trip delivering new dresses and observing first-hand the joy that a new dress brings to these little girls. This ministry has now delivered over 700 dresses directly to missions in Uganda, Mexico and Guatemala in addition to various other nations through Operation Christmas Child.
Recently, I read a book called “The Externally Focused Church” by Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson, which God used to call me to greater service for Him. I am excited about using the gifts and talents that God has blessed me with for His Kingdom and serving “the least of these” in His name.
Diana Calhoun
Email: sewgenerosity@gmail.com
Facebook Group: Sew Generosity. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/280022786918318)
Sharon
CA (Northern/Sacramento)
I've never been this aggressive before about anything. The
Lord has opened so many doors that I know this is what I am meant to do. Thank
you for inviting me. I look forward to doing the best job I can.
Sharon has been with Dress a Girl since August 2010. In that time, the Northern CA area has sent out more than 34,000 dresses to more than 42 countries. "This is my passion in life. Serving the Lord in this way is such a blessing. After seeing thousands of dresses, I never stop saying "so CUTE!" They bless the one who makes it, the one who takes it, & of course the girl who receives it!"
We've helped make & distribute hundreds of dresses to Haiti, Cambodia & Kenya. Email me at mmiranda627@gmail.com
Charlotte & Claudia
Fresno, CA
We are Charlotte and Claudia and are super excited to be a part of Dress A Girl Around the World. We launched in 2014 in Fresno, CA under the amazing guidance of our sister in Christ, Barbara in Santa Cruz. Since that time our group has continued to grow and we have been blessed to be a part of planting or mentoring three other active groups in our area.
We love Dress A Girl for the hope and joy it brings these beautiful girls in other countries and for the indescribable blessing it brings to each of us who has a hand in creating these special gifts. You can be an accomplished seamstress, a novice or a non-sewer to help, so please come and join us so you can be a part of this wonderful ministry and be a carrier of something special created in His name for those He calls His children.
Barbara
CA (Santa Cruz)
My personal passion is to do what I can to ease the
suffering of oppressed people and those living in poverty. I’ve spent a lot of time studying about
poverty, praying about poverty, reading books about poverty, and doing whatever
I can to help those in poverty---particularly through short-term missions and
child sponsorship. When I discovered Dress a Girl Around the World, I realized
how perfectly this ministry fit into the person I believe God created me to
be. I have been involved in many, many
ministries in my life but I have never walked through SO many open doors---ever! It is such a privilege to serve in this capacity. I love how this ministry gives people of all
ages unity of purpose. It has also fortified my marriage. My husband, Steven, is a Gideon Bible
distributor. This has been a marriage of
our ministries as well---we have been putting little New Testaments in the
pockets of our dresses to send to the countries where they are allowed. I love how this addresses both physical AND
spiritual poverty. Our home church is very aggressive about world
missions. We have sent dresses to
Zambia, South Africa, and Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Navajo Nation, India, Tanzania, Grand Bahama Island,
Nicaragua, and Ecuador as well as serving the needy in our community. I love a quote from Wess Stafford, CEO of Compassion,
International. In his book titled “Just
a Minute”, he points out that in the
heart of a child, ONE moment can last forever.
“From the stories of others I have become convinced that if God stands a
child before you, for even just a minute, it is a divine appointment. You have the chance to launch a life. You never know when you are making a memory.”
At Dress a Girl Around the World Santa Cruz we make our dresses “one at a time”. We want to send the message that each dress is made with extravagant love and care and is as unique as the child who will ultimately own it.
Email: bestluv2u@aol.com
My name is Pamela Glenn and I live Arroyo Grande on the Central Coast of California. My mom taught me to hand sew for my dolls when I was 5 years old. As I got older I made my own clothes and sewed for my home and my children. About 2 years ago I discovered that I like quilting!
Our church was introduced to Dress A Girl when a new pastor and his wife came on board. This ministry has really captured my heart as well as many others in the church. At our first meeting, we completed over 100 dresses, some of which had been donated by another church in varying stages of completion. As I helped organize that day I realized that this was another “God” moment in my life - I had recently prayed the prayer of Jabez to “enlarge my territory,” so when I was asked to become the coordinator of the group, I said yes. We currently meet quarterly, but that may change as our ministry expands. As I write this I have gotten word that several other churches are interested in joining the team - how awesome is God!
Email me at dressagirlagca@gmail.com
Riverside, San Bernadino, Temecula, Orange County, San Diego areas in Southern California
After going on my first ever Mission trip to Uganda with Hope 4 Kids, Int. in November of 2018 to dedicate 2 wells, and participating in the Dress a Girl Program, distributing 600 dresses among 3 villages, I got inspired and thought, “This is something I could do!”
I have been sewing since 2nd grade, that makes it 58 years, and now have a business where I sew and sell Historical Clothing and patterns, mainly 19th Century, and hold Historical Sewing Workshops once a month. The parallels with the Ugandans living with no running water and no electricity seem familiar to me as a Civil War Reenactor, but I saw the extreme poverty, too, in the Tororo area. Experiencing the smiles, joy, and dignity that the girls exhibited when they received their dresses was very heartwarming.
On a personal note, I lost my son when he was 14 1/2 in a dirt bike accident. He is safe in heaven now and God must have a sense of humor because I now have 5 tow-headed grandsons from my 2 daughters….. but no granddaughters to sew dresses for.
Our church, Olive Grove Church, in Nuevo, is planning on raising money for a 3rd Well and we plan to go back to Uganda in 2020 for the well dedication. I plan to go again, but with suitcases full of dresses this time! I would love to encourage anyone to go as a Team Member or to help by sewing dresses with Dress a Girl!
I am in the Inland Empire/San Diego area. Workshop days will be set up soon. Email me and join our Facebook page.
ShelleyPeters@verizon.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/276341249737929/about/
Valerie! Co-ambassador: Denver Metro Area in Colorado
Valerie Mishek: This journey of making pillowcase dresses started when I
watched an Operation Christmas video on Facebook about 100-year-old Eva
making these adorable dresses for girls in need. I told my mom about it, and
she loved the idea. At that time, she was 94 years old. My mom passed away
a few months later at the age of 95. As I was going through my parents’
house, I found a bolt of red floral fabric. I asked myself, “what can I do with
this fabric?”. I remembered Eva’s story and that my mom loved the idea. I
decided to do this project dedicated to the memory of my mother, Darlene
Mishek, who was a talented seamstress. I started making dresses with the red
fabric and ended up with ten dresses. I added patch pockets which I
embroidered with my embroidery machine, and I also added eyelet and lace
trims to the dresses. Having so much fun with this project, I asked a friend to
help me. She added two more dresses. Then, another friend, Ellen Shamas-
Brandt, joined in making another ten dresses and drawstring purses while we
were camping in our motorhomes in the mountains of Colorado. I added three
more dresses that week as well from fabric from my wedding. We presented
the dresses at our sewing machine store in Littleton, Colorado and more ladies
joined us in making dresses and purses. For our first dress “drive”, we ended
up with 37 dresses and purses which I delivered to Rachel in Forest City, Iowa
on September 1, 2022. Ellen and I are now co-ambassadors for the Denver
Metro Area in Colorado. We look forward to making many more dresses and
meeting other enthusiastic ladies who want to help with our projects.
Email: vellen59589@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090095472265
Ellen!: Co-Ambassador Denver Metro Area in Colorado
Ellen began sewing as a child in a Learn to Sew class, where she made a lovely gown out of white sheet
fabric. For most of her adult life, she has primarily sewn badges and patches on her daughters’ Girl Scout
uniforms. When she was trying to repurpose some drapery fabric, her friend Valerie said that it could be
used to make beautiful dresses for Dress a Girl. Valerie, a true ambassador, convinced her to try her hand
at making some dresses out of the material, and she got hooked! Valerie and Ellen spent a week camping
in their RVs, making dresses and purses. Since then, Ellen has learned more about sewing, and even
made two T-shirt quilts for her daughters for Christmas. Having two daughters and being a member of
P.E.O., she is attracted to organizations that help and empower females. She is excited to join Valerie is
getting more people involved in this valuable and important cause!
Email:
lightsun764@aol.com
Sue Russo
CT
(Retired) Born and grew up in Beverly, Massachusetts then moved to Connecticut in 1969. I have two sisters that live in New England. I also have three daughters, one son-in-law, three grandsons and one granddaughter. Life has been busy. I’m a member of a local quilting guild, which is where I learned about Dress A Girl. One of the ladies at the guild talked to me about DAG and gave me a label that she had with her. As soon as I arrived home I checked out DAG website. After reading I knew this was for me. I ordered labels and got fabric together. Then put together my first DAG event with some wonderful ladies at our campground in NH. There was lots of talking, sewing and ironing going on and we enjoyed it so much that we are making this a yearly event. “EVERY GIRL DESERVES A DRESS”
Evelyn! Co-Ambassador MA
Hi. My name is Evie DeLutis. I live in Bridgewater, MA. I am a retired kindergarten teacher. I learned to sew at my mother's side and have always loved fabric. I learned about DAG from Gail McCarthy when visiting the library in her town of West Bridgewater, MA. I immediately fell in love with the idea and the joy it brings to young women worldwide. Several Bridgewater women jumped happily on board and we have been sewing dresses together for over 2 years. It has uplifted our spirits and formed close friendships. Gail's town and ours have now joined into one happy and creative unit.
Email: gmac2002a@yahoo.com
Cam and Terri! New Mexico!
Among them is Terri, a former Home Economics teacher, who stepped up to become the new Co-Ambassador! Terri has been passionate about sewing and quilting for many years and began sewing for Dress a Girl, San Juan County in 2016. She enjoys all aspects of Dress a Girl and getting to know other sewers.
This ministry has blossomed over the last two years with seamstresses all over the state and even into Southern Colorado and Texas. God has provided and blessed us and we would love to hear from you if you have any questions or want to be a part of our group!
You can find more information about our group or contact us at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DAGofSanJuanCounty/ or at our email: dressagirl.sjc@gmail.com
Our website is http://dressagirlnewmexico.org and our email is info@dressagirlnewmexico.org
For a long time I looked for an opportunity to do something I would have a passion for and that would help others. One day I read in the St. Mary of Vernon Parish (Vernon Hills, IL) church bulletin about a wonderful organization led by an amazing woman named Sidney that sewed dresses for poor girls. This sounded like something I could do and I attended the first event. Since then I have fallen in love with this ministry and am honored to be part of this organization. I do not have children of my own and this is truly a blessing for me to have the opportunity to make a difference in a little girl’s life.
We recently moved to Colorado and I want to continue my charity work. I became passionate about this ministry and found a purpose that is beyond my own dreams. I would like to start a group of women here in Woodland Park, CO to follow a simple yet needed way to help poor girls own a dress. I will work hard to encourage people to get involved in making a difference in someone's life. If you like to sew, please join me. I would love to hear from you.
I am honored to be an ambassador for the Southern Colorado area until Teresa, who did this job before me, will join us again.
Email: mariastepien@hotmail.com
Contact:
Pearl
dressagirlpearl@gmail.com
I had the good fortune to be raised in a Christian family that was always involved in mission out reaches. When I made a personal decision to trust Jesus, He gave me the same desires.
I have been married to my dear husband for 42 years. We have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren. My daughter told me about DAG. I was very interested, but because I was teaching at that time and didn't have the time needed to start something new, I filed the thought away.
As a retirement gift, my husband gave me a beautiful sewing room. The stage was set. I went to the website, found the nearest group and attended one of their sew times with a dear friend. We came back to our church very excited with the thought we can be part of this wonderful ministry of sewing God's best dresses for His sweet needy girls. As I have talked to others about it, God has raised up a mighty band of faithful people who are part of our ministry.
Our dresses are sewn one at a time and they are as unique and beautiful as the girls receiving them. As we sew we pray for the girls who will receive the dress and those who deliver them. It is an honor and privilege to be part of such an incredible ministry, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ one dress at a time.
Please visit our: Facebook page; Dress a Girl Pinewood
Email: Dressagirlpinewood@gmail.com
After a long and successful career in the corporate world, I’m now retired and doing things I never had time for before. I lived in Atlanta for 15 years for work but am now happy to be back home in Jacksonville, FL where I’m blessed to be able to have my Mom live with me along with my rescued dogs Mandy and Pickles.
When I first heard about DAG from my neighbor Melanie, I couldn’t believe that I’d never heard of it before. What a simple concept with such a huge impact! I’ve gone on several mission trips in my life but nothing I’ve done feels as personal as this. Your effort, your creativity, your love for children, and your love for God are all rolled up into making these dresses. When I look at a dress, I think about the little girl who will be receiving it and how it and the message of God’s love will make a difference in her life now and in her future.
I couldn’t wait to get involved and invited my Mom and sisters to get involved too. After attending several meetings, this like-minded band of women decided we needed a chapter in our area so we can help spread the word about this great ministry and offer others the opportunity to get involved. And you know what? Almost everyone approached has been interested in being involved in some way. Wow! Our God is an awesome God!
I look forward to helping to make DAG a bigger channel for reaching out to the world with the
message of God’s love.
FL (Orlando),
known as Dressed in Hope (DIH), which is part of Dress a Girl Around the World, has created an energy throughout Florida and across the country to help impoverished girls around the world. Our dynamic Orlando group has grown to over 50 volunteers. Courtesy of Village Walk, Lake Nona, Orlando, these dedicated women meet every Thursday from 10 -12 p.m. at its Town Center to create dresses and matching dolls that are “made with love.” The enthusiasm extends beyond the greater Orlando area, as we are fortunate to have talented “satellite seamstresses” in over 10 cities across the state and beyond our state line—from California to Connecticut. These partners have delivered over 650 dresses. The Dressed in Hope group hit an exciting milestone—since 2013 it has distributed over 2,700 dresses to 15 countries. Our success is a collaborative effort—from the generous donations of beautiful fabrics and notions to the personal distribution of dresses to orphanages by groups including AirMobile Ministries, Church of Nazarene, Delta Cares, Morgan Associates, Nautique Cares, Pine Hills Church in Indiana, Reach Out to Haiti, Ryan Epps Home, the Tebow Foundation, and the University of Central Florida Burnett Honors College.
Email: christine.kraus21@gmail.com
Susan
FL (Pensacola)
My name is Susan Smith. My husband (Barry) and I live in Pensacola Florida. We moved to Florida in 2012 to escape the cold and snow of the mountains of Maryland. I have loved to sew since Middle School and prior to retirement was the owner of a sewing business fabricating custom window treatments. Barry is a retired pastor and all of the churches we served became very mission minded. I have been on and led several short term missions to Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic and have seen firsthand the great need to help children in other lands. When I discovered Dress A Girl, I knew immediately that this was God calling me to a new ministry. Barry and I plan to work hard to encourage the people of Northwest Florida to get involved in making a difference is little girls lives, providing dresses and respect to those who are often forgotten or neglected. Email: diverdownmom@gmail.com
Georgia! Noie!
My name is Lenora “Noie” Craven. I first learned of Dress a Girl Around the World when I went on a mission trip to Mozambique, Africa. There we witnessed, baptized, distributed Bibles, and Dresses. The dresses were a wonderful Christian outreach. When I returned to my home in Brunswick, Georgia, I found out that the Georgia Ambassador we had worked with was retiring. After pray and careful consideration, I became a Georgia Ambassador for Dress a Girl Around the World
noiecraven@yahoo.com
Jeanette!
Hawai (West)
As a result of our daughter’s coaxing, last June my husband and I relocated to Des Moines, IA where she and her family live. From the day we made the decision to move, getting involved in DAG was my goal. I was driven to join a DAG group in Des Moines, to help me meet new people and make dresses for this wonderful organization. Much to my amazement, there was no such group and in fact hardly anyone had heard of it. Not to be discouraged, I decided to start a group.
We moved into a senior independent living residence called the Reserve. With the backing of the Reserve staff, I was able to use our craft room which already had 3 vintage sewing machines and start DAG right here! We had the location; all we needed was the materials. There’s a church next door so I thought maybe we could get donated fabrics if they had any outreach programs. They invited me to speak to their ladies organization. As a result, their group gave us our first donation and the best part was that 3 of the ladies joined our monthly workshops. We bought some fabric, had an organizing meeting in February and our first workshop in March. We're a small group, but dedicated, and within weeks we had produced 45 dresses. We had no idea where we would send the dresses but I had the faith that by the time we had enough made, we'd know.
By this time I was sure that it was what God had in mind when he sent us to Iowa. My husband and I believe in what we call God incidences. You know, things that happen without our direction and totally out of our control. Just like stopping by the church got us our first donation. One of our neighbors told us about a friend who has been flying humanitarian trips to Haiti since the earthquake back several years ago. These friends had shown him the dresses. As it turned out he had built an orphanage that was home to 72 girls. Did we cross paths by coincidence? I don't think so! And we had our first destination, and not because of us!
After 4 months we have made almost 200 dresses and the involvement of 2 churches, a senior center and the commitment of our Drake University women’s basketball team to donate hours of community service to DAG. It’s growing faster then I ever imagined. We have been blessed in so many ways and I truly know that this is God’s plan for me. If you're anywhere in Iowa and want to get a DAG group going, contact me. I'll do whatever I can to help you get started. The real joy comes when you see photos of the smiling faces of little girls as they twirl around in their very own dress. Knowing the pride, self confidence and feeling of being beautiful, they may be experiencing for the very first time!
DAGdesmoines@aol.com
Julie! North East Iowa!
I grew up with my Mother teaching me how to sew at around age 12, then my Junior High & High School Home Ec. teachers took it from there! Being tall, I made a lot of my clothes, making pants, shirts & blouses. When my kids were little, I sewed most of their clothes, even taking apart a winter coat to make a snow suit for my daughter! Now I do alterations for friends & relatives, sew curtains, purses, diaper bags, bibs & burp cloths & lots of dresses!
Ten years ago, a friends Grandmother told me about Dress A Girl & gave me a pattern to make a pillowcase dress. Since I didn’t have any pillowcases, I used fabric left over from our kids, when they were little. They turned out so cute & I was hooked! Since Iowa winters can be cold & snowy, this is the perfect time for me to sew & in February I posted four dresses & a little write up about DAG on FB. Gals started contacting me, even teenagers & I am giving presentations on how to make the dresses. I feel so blessed to share & teach others my God given talent, knowing how these dresses can change a girl’s life. I love helping others, especially little kids in poor countries.
I live on a 540-acre Century Farm in NE Iowa. We raise corn, beans, alfalfa, oats & have a 100 head black angus cow/calf operation. I’ve been married 41 years, have 3 married children, 8 grandchildren & work part-time in a Podiatry Clinic. Besides sewing, I help my husband on the farm, make greeting cards, love to walk, do crafts, bake, feed the birds & love spending time with family & friends. When I retire, I plan on doing missionary work & would love to see how happy the dresses make the girls & the expressions on their faces. There is nothing more precious than a child of God!
Hello from Connie of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. I feel so fortunate to be involved with such a great group that gives of themselves! I work fulltime at the USDA/Farm Service Agency and have enjoyed my position for 33 yrs as a Program Technician. After the unexpected death of my husband of 36 yrs, I dedicated by life to GODs work! I also work with my TTT Chapter as the Camp Chairman. TTT is a group of ladies that fund raise to send 4th grade girls to camp each year! I love to spend any free time kayaking, camping, going to races and riding horses. I have a grown son who is a machinist and motor builder! I am very excited about this adventure with Dress a Girl Around the World! Email: cj_n_b@hotmail.com
Donna
KS
How exciting to represent DAG in the state of Kansas! My name is Donna Waterson and I’m a retired art teacher. One afternoon my sis Shirley called to tell me about this amazing group in Ft. Collins, CO that got together once a month to make dresses for little girls throughout the world.
Now, after I retired I prayed God would show me something I would have a passion for that would help others. This sounded like something I might be able to do, so I went to the DAG web site and the rest is history!
O, by the way, that prayer started ten years ago! My timing and God’s timing were a little different. But of course His was perfect.
Many of my church friends come twice a month to sew in the building behind my home I taught art classes in for thirty years. This building had just sat idle for the past ten years. Donations of sewing machines (15), more material than you can possible imagine, notions, ribbon, rick rack, thread, etc. All donated! God supplies everything!
We started sewing last fall , sending dresses, baby blankets and little boys cargo pants to Honduras in March. We’re packing now for Togo, West Africa and Guatemala. Dresses for Kenya will go in the fall. We serve an amazing God!
Visit Donna's Blog here. Email: dressagirlwichita@gmail.com
I am enjoying serving DAG and working alongside my daughter to impact precious little girls’ lives around the world. Psalm 68:11, The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host/army.
Email me: mjm101@outlook.com
Clarice, Overland Park, KS
My passion is creativity. I’ve been sewing since I was 7 and quilting for the past 25 years. Retired, I began looking for a volunteer opportunity where I could use my creative skills as well as teaching and organizational skills. Early in 2018, I found Dress a Girl Around the World. I attended my first workshop and was hooked! I hold monthly workshops in Overland Park. Currently, my group is sewing for orphanages in Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Vietnam, sending 112 dresses so far, with 24 going to Peru in January 2019. I will travel to your group to teach the dressmaking process, or talk with you about fundraising activities to support the mission. Be prepared for the most fun you can have with your sewing machine and one yard of fabric!
Email: coeltjen@kc.rr.com
Christie heard of the DAG mission from her parent's church in Dallas. Since she sewed all her life, adapting her skills to the dresses was a no brainer.
Christie is a lifelong Presbyterian, having accepted Christ as her personal savior at the age of 12. She has been active in church activities including singing in the choir, teaching children's church and Sunday School, and running/teaching VBS.
Email me: dressagirlmi@gmail.com
Kitty
MN
I started sewing for Dress A Girl early in 2014 and love doing it. I started with some fabric and lace that my mother collected during her life, but I have added to my collection as sales happen. I am the mother of three grown children, grandmother to 14, and great-grandmother to one.
I lived in England for two years in the 60's. That is where my oldest was born. That was a very interesting experience.
Three of my grandchildren were born in Ethiopia and adopted when they were 3 - 5 years old. I traveled with my daughter and son-in-law to pick up the first child they adopted. On that trip, I saw first hand the state of development of one African country. We saw men and boys plowing fields with oxen and wooden plows. Some areas had no electricity. Clothes were washed in ditches running beside dirt roads. This brought home to me that great advantages that we live with every day and take for granted. That is part of my motivation for this ministry. I also want to do something useful with my time and resources.
Sue! Southwest Missouri!
Hi! My name is Sue Cavness. I’m a retired teacher and live in Cassville, Missouri with my husband, Joe. We have 4 beautiful grown children and 7 precious grandchildren.I was introduced to Dress A Girl in 2016 while wintering in south Texas. At that time I didn’t sew but I helped cut out patterns and I attended to other non-sewing jobs. Fast forward a couple years and God laid it upon my heart to begin a Dress A Girl mission group at my hometown church, Emmanuel Baptist Church of Cassville. So in 2018 Dress A Girl Southwest Missouri began!
The first thing I did was buy a sewing machine and a serger, and with the help of many sewing friends and You Tube videos, I learned to sew my first dress!
Our group hosts Work Days in which we put together dress kits. A dress kit includes everything you need to sew a dress. The kits are checked out to seamstresses to sew at home. Dresses are returned and sent out with missionaries to little girls in need all over the world! All are welcome to attend a Work Day and no sewing experience is needed.
Our little group has grown in volunteers over the years. We have sent over 2,700 dresses to little girls all over the world! God is good!
I’m honored to be an ambassador for Southwest Missouri. If you have any questions and would like to get involved in this wonderful mission, you can contact me at suecavness@gmail.com. We are open to any mission opportunities that you may have.
Also, be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW our Facebook page, Dress A Girl Southwest Missouri. I look forward to hearing from you!
Candice
MO
I am a wife and homeschool mom of 6 little blessings. Our family operates a small family farm in southern Missouri and my husband is also a pastor of a country church. Our family seeks to find ways in which we can serve others and show God’s love to the world which He created. I was so excited to find out about Dress A Girl Around the World and the mission opportunities it affords our family and community. I was reminded the other day of a Matthew 25:40 “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. “ We are so blessed in our country and we take many things for granted. While our children “choose” what to wear and eat, other little ones around the world wear tattered scraps of cloth and go hungry. God honors and blessed the work of a faithful heart. We may have what seems to some as little to offer, but little is much when God is in it! We are looking forward to what God will do in Missouri! If you have any questions or want to donate your time, money or resources, please feel free to contact me!
Email: dagmissouri@gmail.com
I live with my husband of 36 years. We have 3 grown sons and 2 granddaughters, ages 3 & 17 months. I enjoy sewing and crotcheting, traveling and spending time with our grandchildren.
I am honored to have this opportunity to serve as an ambassador for Dress a Girl.
Contact
Email: dressagirlnc@gmail.com Facebook
Michelle! Davidson, NC
Hello everyone! My mom and I own a small quilt shop in Davidson, NC. We heard about Project Dress A Girl on YouTube and instantly felt led to become involved as much as possible! Being a quilt shop, we have the skill set, community ties, and the willingness to make lots of beautiful dresses for girls around the world. We’re looking forward to helping as many girls as possible have their very own God’s Best Dress! If you’re local to us, feel free to stop by and pick up a free kit to make a dress. We have the fabric, elastic, and guidelines already put together for you! Email: NCdressagirl@gmail.com
As a mother of two girls and grandmother to six granddaughters, I have a passion for all children, but especially girls. I come from a heritage of strong women, but also of strong men who respected and valued women. It breaks my heart to see any person not feeling valued and it often begins at a very early age. I can see where a pretty dress could make a difference in a young girl's self esteem and also how she is perceived by others.
Sewing is something that has been a great hobby over the years, but recently, I have been blessed to share that joy with other young girls and their moms. When searching the Internet for simple dress patterns I stumbled upon your website. Such a simple dress, but a very obvious impact on these young girls.
As I shared this program with others, the excitement to be a part of such a tangible way to make a difference in a girls life was contagious. We are ready to begin making dresses and excited to be a small part in a world wide outreach to make positive impact on a girl's life. Email: kmcoddington@cox.net
Kelly
OK
My name is Kelly,
I am a member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Oklahoma City. I am truly blessed to be very happily married to Randy Baker for 33 years, and I am truly blessed to have 5 amazing children that are 14,16,19,21 and 24 years old. I am also truly blessed to be a part of Dress A Girl and Hope for Women!
My email is:
Sewsweet_bk@hotmail.com
Providing a little piece of Hope to a young girl is an amazing feeling. By our commitment to give a little of our time and effort, we can help in the mission that “Every Girl deserves at least one dress.” I am a mother of 5 children, 4 girls, and a boy. I have been married for 20 years and am a follower of Christ. I started sewing when I saw a dress that I feel in love with at an auction I did not win and was determined to make it. After lots of classes, I made that dress. The feeling I got with that accomplishment made me move on to the next project..and the next project… I love being able to share my love of sewing and giving with others. I hope you will join me and send all your beautifully made dresses so I can help distribute them to these amazing, beautiful little gifts from God.
Visit our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/Dress-A-Girl-with-Hope-327556371081979/
Email: dressagirlohio@yahoo.com
Karen! Central Ohio!
Hi, I am Karen Heath and I live in central Ohio with my husband; we are both Christians. We are retired, and we are so busy now that I wonder how we had time to work for a living. Seriously, it is relaxing to have the freedom to pursue our personal interests. We are involved with our local church where I attend the Women of Missions group and Women’s Bible Study. I have previously taught in the Children’s Ministry. I have also taught quilting classes at church where we donated baby quilts to the local Pregnancy Distress Centers.
As
the daughter of a professional dressmaker, I grew up in the sewing room. I was sewing so much that at the age of nine
I received my own sewing machine. I love
to make clothes, quilts, and home décor items.
A few years ago, I donated a couple of shoe boxes, with dresses, at
Christmas time. I then went on a search to find a place that
would accept the clothes I make for the poorest of God’s children. I like Dress a Girl because of their ministry
and guidelines for the dresses. I have
enjoyed this ministry so much that I wanted to become more involved, so I am
now an Ambassador. If you live in
central Ohio, please contact me. Email: kheath98@gmail.com
Judy - Cincinnati/Dayton Ohio area
I learned about Dress a Girl back in 2017. I have become an empty nester and even though I still work full-time I started praying for a passion. My pastor had been preaching on serving, giving back, using your talents and for about 5 months I had been praying for a passion. Asking, how can I make a difference? What can I do? One day on the news I saw an interview with a lady talking about how she made dresses for little girls in need with Dress A Girl. I stopped what I was doing and listened. It was only about a 2 minute interview so I started researching wanting to know more. Long story short...God opened the door to my new passion and I am so very thankful. What a blessing 2018 has been. I went to Guatemala and took 206 dresses to hand out. I have seen God move and provide me with many God stories that I know without a doubt that this is what I am called to do. I have met so many wonderful women who are willing to help through this ministry. Remember, it's HOW we live our life; not how long we live. Be a blessing to others each day. For when we serve others, we serve Jesus. It is an honor and privilege to be a part of such an incredible ministry. I am so excited to see what God has for me and the DAG Ministry this coming year. So far I have a request for a need in Haiti. Contact me if you have any questions or are interested in helping giving HOPE one dress at a time. I have helpers from ages 9 to 91; sewers and non-sewers alike. Please let me know if you need an addiction because this is just the thing. One dress gets cuter than the next and I can't stop! Will you join me in making a difference in little girls lives around the world who may not even own a dress?
judysjumpers@gmail.com
Renita
Pennsylvania
My favorite age to sew for is for ages two to 12 year old girls. Having five granddaughters has given me ample opportunity to be creative! They now have plenty of dresses that will be handed down to each other.
About two years ago Dee, a good friend of mine, gave me two large boxes of material. Since the Grandorables had plenty of NiniLu (they call me NINI and I added the LU that stands for LOVES YOU!) dresses, I had to find a way to use this material.
A quick search online for charitable sewing revealed the perfect answer for me. I could continue sewing for the age that I love as well as have a world wide impact. Each DAG dress is prayed over and is made with the same care and attention to detail used to make dresses for the Grandorables.
We have a weekly workshop every Wednesday from 9-noon where we make Humanitarian Dolls and well as Dresses to send. I am ever so grateful to DAG for giving me the opportunity to make a difference.
contact email: Tressler71@outlook.com
Sunny! York, Pennsylvania
Hello to all the Fellow Sewers
My name is Sunny Rumer. I am a mother of two adult girls and three grandsons who are the light of my life. I currently live in York, Pa.
I am a member of Living Word Community Church in Red Lion, Pa. (A stone’s throw away from York.)
I am part of a sewing group at the church. We call our group Sewing Seeds. We have been sewing Hygiene Kits for women and girls in countries like Guatemala and Ethiopia.
I have been sewing dresses for Dress a Girl Around the world for about three years.
I recently lost my husband to cancer and wondered what God was leading me to do to fill my days. Well, I’m not completely alone…I have a friendly feline companion named Boots. She just turned nine years old in August. She likes to sit under my chair while I’m sewing
So, anyway I thought that since our church already has a passion for helping women around the world with one project, why not start another project to extend that blessing to more girls?
I’m honored to serve as an ambassador to Dress A Girl in York and the surrounding area.
I can be reached at DAGSunny6@gmail.com
Facebook..Dress A Girl/York, Pa
Sunny Rumer
Marie--Pennsylvania!
Marie has been involved with Dress a girl since 2010. Being a seamstress all her life she had accumulated quite the fabric collection. But with a daughter grown and out of the nest. She was ready to sew for other little girls. And stubbled upon a post on face book. Starting to sew individually at first for dress a girl then hosting sewing days. It was natural that she became an ambassador in early 2011. But in April of 2011 her world turned upside down with a diagnosis of Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma stage 4. She battled through this trial with chemo and other treatments. But continued to sew and support dress a girl . Now fast forward to 2019. She is in remission from the cancer , but the treatments took their toll. But sewing and creating are great therapy. And her heart is always ingrained with Dress a girl. The process of creating , helping others create dresses and spreading the word about this wonderful organization helps so much on the road to recovery. Please contact Marie at padressagirl@gmail.com . Or Facebook at Dress a girl around the world PA chapter
I was born in Zambia and lived there until I was 7. As the daughter of a British banker, I was protected from many of the harsh conditions of such an impoverished country. However, I still remember the food shortages, specifically meat, and as for clothes -- forget it! My sister and I were lucky though -- my mother knew how to sew and we never went without cute little dresses!
I’ve always loved all things girly, but as the mother of boys, I found that sugar and spice and all things nice was not the way I rolled anymore – flowers and fabric were traded in for fire trucks and football (and I wouldn’t change a thing!) – until I found Dress a Girl! Now I can pick out the pinkest and prettiest fabrics I can find and know they will make little girls somewhere smile.
I also have my own skincare business and love to watch my clients become more confident as they transform their skin. However, creating beautiful dresses that not only carry a message of hope and love to those forgotten and neglected, but more importantly, keep them safe from predators is both humbling and delightful.
The area in which I live is very service-oriented and I have high hopes for many dresses to be made here with great love. Being an ambassador for Dress a Girl around the world is a small thing I can do, and I am honored to have this opportunity to serve.
Please get in touch.
Jacquie DressAGirljj@gmail.com
Mary Jo & Angels of Mercy
NY
Mary Jo & her Angels of Mercy are doing a phenomenal job in New York. They are constantly in the news for their work with Dress a Girl and have had as many as 150 women show up with sewing machines in hand for events. They are going strong and have 40 locations sewing currently.
From their base in Rochester they have made/sent/shipped over 88,000 dresses to Haiti, Peru, Nepal, Cambodia & France. Mary Jo says: "Our goal is to reach the ends of the earth and we are on our way!!!!" "God is so Great…He sends women and girls with the heart to "SEW" seeds into the lives of young ones."
Email: designingheart@aol.com Website
My name is Sharon Brown and I reside in the Long Island area in NY.
Matthew 25:36a says " I needed clothes and you clothed me", if you have done it to the least of these you have done it unto me.
As I serve as an Ambassador for 'Dress a Girl Around the World" I am happy to render service to Christ.
I am excited and honored to serve God's people through the gift God has given me.
If you live in the surrounding area please feel free to contact me and let's work together!
Making God's best dress for He's greatest gifts to the world !
Contact me at Sewing4DAW@yahoo.com
"One dress, One girl and repeat........
Grace & Peace Sharon
Peg, Tupper Lake NY
I became involved in Dress a Girl in early 2014, when my small church was looking for a project. My sister attended a large church in Rochester NY where they had a DAG team, so I suggested that we make dresses for little girls; our small church was very enthusiastic! So I asked my sister and her friend to come to the Adirondacks to get us organized. Since April 2014, we have met almost monthly and have made over 3,848 dresses that we’ve sent to Haiti, Nepal, South America, Nakaseke Uganda, India, Romania, and Brasilia Brazil. We have also distributed about 834 dresses through Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. Whenever I learn of someone traveling overseas, I ask them if they’d like to take some dresses; I always get an enthusiastic YES! You can see many photos on our website (below) of our seamstresses, and the happy girls who have received DAG dresses! We praise God for helping us protect his little girls, and hopefully protect them from trafficking.
Peg Mauer
Kristin!
TX (Dallas/Ft Worth)
My name is Kristin Reynolds. I am excited to be part of Dress A Girl Around the World and serve as DFW DAG Ambassador. I first learned of DAG during an internet search for organizations who sew
dresses for girls. A few weeks earlier, I attended a quilting retreat where I met a lady who was sewing
dresses for missionaries at her church. I love to sew and thought I would enjoy sewing beautiful dresses for girls. A few years later, a couple from our church gathered volunteers together to sew dresses for the
Operation Christmas Child boxes our church sends out each year. So I began sewing dresses and have made approximately 200 dresses in 2 years. I love to coordinate fabric, sew dresses and pray over the ones I make. It's become an obsession. ☺I have been married to my husband Jeff for 27 years, the mother of three young men all of whom I have homeschooled and am still schooling our youngest. I am a certified teacher and an AWANA Cubbies leader. I learned to sew in middle school and made Halloween costumes and theater costumes when our boys were younger.
I look forward to creating, praying and facilitating the transfer of dressesthat will bless girls and show them God's love.
Email:DAGambassadorDFW1@gmail.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DressAGirlAroundtheWorldDallasFortWorth
I come from a long line of women who sew. I was the little girl making Barbie clothes from my grandmother’s scraps! As a retired decorator, playing with fabrics and putting a sweet little dress together makes me “sew” happy. I was hooked on Dress A Girl as soon as I saw the beaming smiles on the girl’s faces when they got their new dresses. I look forward to being a small part of a movement that enriches and empowers little girls, lifting them up and letting them know that they are loved. I also look forward to meeting new friends along this journey.
Email: marlakfburl@gmail.com
Renee
TX (Houston)
August 10, 2010. Channel 13 in Houston aired a news special about a group of people sewing pillowcase dresses for girls around the world. "I could do that!"
Making a difference in the life of a girl whose eyes light up just to own a new dress inspired me to call the Dress A Girl contact. I joined and committed myself to this project to initially make 300 dresses that very night. I was excited to use my limited sewing abilities to a cause that was meaningful, simple to do, and at the same time contribute to making a difference in this world and to bless the life of a child.
I joined the Dress A Girl community in 2010. We have two Sewfest a year; one in the fall and one in the spring. I've met so many wonderful people sewing, volunteering, delivering and working together for a common good. The community spirit and excitement fuels the energy at each Sewfest! I truly love sewing and to see your dress somewhere on the other side of the world is a feeling of joy I can't describe!
To date, we've made 1,877 dresses and distributed 1,836.
Living and Sewing to Serve is what I do!
Email me: rhneehicks@yahoo.com
Email Me: elizabethdstrickler@gmail.com
Join us on FaceBook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/416997398660687/
Laura
TX (West Columbia)
My name is Laura Cole and I am sew excited to be a part of this group! I live in in a wonderful small town south of Houston, near the coast. I am married to an amazing man; we have two awesome teenage boys; and I have an inspiring sister who sews blankets for sick children along with dresses for DAG. I became involved with DAG through church - Bethel Presbyterian - when our women's group began sewing dresses in 2012. Since then we have expanded to include ladies from other churches and one gentleman (90 plus- our bias tape maker). Our incredible group has now made over 1300 dresses. If you have dresses, would like to sew, would like to join our group, would like to start a group or need dresses I would LOVE to talk with you!! God is GREAT!! Email: lrcoleDAG@gmail.com
Sandi
WI
Dress-a-Girl-Around-the–World (Appleton, Wisconsin)
My name is Sandi . I have lived in the state of Wisconsin most of my life. Late in my husband’s career, he took a new job that took us to Kansas. It was there that I was introduced to Dress a Girl Around the World. I loved to sew dresses with dolls in the pockets for needy little girls. When our first batch of dresses was delivered by a missionary to an orphanage, the missionary returned requesting something for the boys to wear. So, we began to make simple shorts, placing toy cars in the pockets. Shortly after that, we began to sew baby blankets. I became passionate about the ministry. When my husband retired, we moved back to Appleton, Wisconsin, and I was determined to start a DAG group here. I have had donations of sewing machines, fabric, lace, and everything else I needed to start! Some people sew in their own homes, and every Monday we have both a daytime session and an evening session in our home. The ministry takes up our entire basement, and my husband’s three work benches have been transformed into cutting tables! Come visit us sometime! Contact Sandi: warsand2@gmail.com
Ambassador's List
Arizona:
Phoenix: Rose Annedagphoenix@gmail.com
Tucson: Carol
Sedona: Lin
Scottsdale: Patti
Arkansas: Donna
California:
1) Bay Area: Suzanne
2)Central Valley: Pat
3) Northern California: Sharon
4) Santa Cruz: Barbara
6) Arroyo Grande: Pamela
7) Fresno: Charlotte & Claudia
dressagirlfresno@gmail.com
affordableoriginals@comcast.net
9) Los Osos: Susan
10) Riverside, San Diego areas
11) South Bay! Diana
Connecticut:
ctdressagirl@gmail.com
North Carolina:
Connie
South Carolina: Lisa
Colorado:
1) Patti
2) Maria
3) Valerie
4) Ellen
Florida:
1) Jacksonville:
2) South Jax
2) Orlando: Cindy
3) Pensacola : Susan
Georgia:
noiecraven@yahoo.com
Hawaii:
1) East: Jen
dressagirlaroundtheworldinhi@gmail.com
2) West: Jeanette
Iowa:
1) Headquarters: Rachel
2) Des Moines
Donna
3) North East Iowa
4) Southeast Iowa
Connie
Kansas:
Donna: Wichita
Clarice: Overland Park
Mary: Southwestern Kansas
Louisiana:
1) Susan
dressagirlaroundtheworldla@gmail.com
3) Christie
Maine:
Maryland: Marisa
Massachusetts
Gail and Evie
gmac2002a@yahoo.com
Michigan: Erin
Minnesota: Kitty
Missouri:
Sue:
Candince
Nevada: Kay
New Jersey:
1) Jacquie
New Mexico:
Cam & Terri
Eastern New Mexico
New York:
Mary Jo/Angels of Mercy
Sharon/NYC
Peg : Tupperlake
dressagirlpearl@gmail.com
Pennsylvania: Renita
Marie
Texas:
1) Dallas/Fort Worth: Kristin
2) Houston: Rhnee
3) West Columbia: Laura
5) Nacona, Texas: Betsy
estrickler@starvationaviation.com
6) Cypress Texas: Valeri
Wisconsin: Sandi