Empowering Women-
One Stitch at a Time
One Stitch at a Time
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Many companies in need of sewers report the problem of finding skilled workers to replace their sewers who are “aging out.” In the meantime, young start up brands are looking for “small batch” manufacturing. With this lack of a sewing workforce, St. Louis will not retain companies who face this issue of finding and maintaining a skilled workforce.
The Collective Thread (TCT), a 501c3 non-profit organization, has years of experience training immigrant and refugees to sew. We have worked extensively in East Africa and St. Louis developing skilled stitchers who go on to find a sustainable income, or simply use their newfound skill for personal use. Recently, TCT moved to a six thousand square foot space in the Old Garment District on Washington Ave to grow our sewing school and open a premier small batch manufacturing facility. Our school has various sewing classes and intends to graduate skilled sewers to fulfill the sewing workforce issue for local companies as well as hire graduates to work in our small batch facility.
TCT’s school has a wait list! Please help us grow this effort through a sponsorship.
Platinum Sponsor:
Be the named Benefactor or our sewing school by donating $25,000 each year to benefit the school and allowing us to continue our sewing classes to the St. Louis Community.
Gold Sponsor:
On the Job Training Program: $20,000
This program provides 20 students 18 hours per week for 6 weeks of extensive industrial sewing training while receiving a wage. Upon graduation of this program the student will be ready for employment.
Silver Sponsor:
Intermediate Classes: $15,000
This program provides 20 students with experience in garment construction, working with a variety of fabrics and adjusting the machine to accommodate different fabrics, threading a serger, and more.
Bronze Sponsorship:
Beginner Classes: $10,000
This program will provide classes for 60 students teaching the basics of sewing, measuring, threading a machine. The student will be evaluated to determine if they advance to the intermediate classes.
Sponsor for Equipment:
We need additional equipment for our school:
$5,000 for one Cover Stitch Industrial Machine used for OJT.
$2500 For one SN Industrial Juki machine
Individual Sponsorships:
Sponsor one Student for the Beginner class: $150
Sponsor One student for Intermediate Class: $750
Sponsor one Student for OJT: $1,000
Sponsor one entire Beginner class: $1800
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