GIVING BACK WITH ALOHA

When our community needed help, Sky Dreams put travel accessories aside and started sewing.

In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began changing everyday life, sewing communities across the country stepped forward to make cloth face masks for healthcare professionals and first responders.

With so many sewists already supporting those efforts, I decided Sky Dreams could help in another way—by focusing on essential workers, individuals with weakened immune systems and our Kupuna (elderly) in Hawai‘i.

On March 22, 2020, I temporarily shifted production in my business and began using my own collection of fabric and sewing supplies to make face masks. I shared a simple post on Facebook offering free face masks, asking recipients only to cover shipping.

I never imagined what would happen next.

Within three days, I received more than 1,000 requests.

After the project was featured by KHON2 News and shared through online community resources, requests continued to arrive from near and far.

A COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER

What began at my sewing machine quickly became something much bigger than me.

Family, friends and members of the community volunteered their time to help cut fabric, sew masks, prepare orders and package requests. Others donated fabric and supplies so we could continue making masks for those who needed them.

When people offered monetary donations, I encouraged them instead to support their churches, food banks and other organizations serving their communities during the pandemic.

I have always been a small, one-woman business, so there was no way I could have fulfilled the growing number of requests without the incredible people who stepped forward to help.

2,700 MASKS. COUNTLESS ACTS OF ALOHA.

The final Giving Back masks were distributed in November 2020.

By the end of the project, together we had provided more than 2,700 free face masks—not only throughout our local community in Hawai‘i, but to people as far away as Japan and Australia.

What stays with me most isn't the number of masks we made. It's the people I met along the way.

I received heartfelt cards, emails and messages from recipients and their families. Many later became customers and supporters of Sky Dreams, showing their Aloha to my small business long after they received their masks.

That support meant more to me than I can put into words.

The Giving Back Project became one of the most rewarding chapters in the Sky Dreams story, and a beautiful reminder of what can happen when a community comes together to help one another.

MEET THE VOLUNTEERS

Early March 2020 when COVID19 was declared a pandemic, the sewing community was asked to sew cloth face masks for Health professionals and First responders.  Since my sewing community was serving Health professionals and First responders, I decided to focus my efforts on essential workers, people with weakened immune systems and our Kapuna  (elderly).

On March 22, 2020, I shifted production in my business and used my stockpile of fabric and supplies and make face masks for my community. On March 22, 2020, I made a Facebook post mentioning that I would be using my God given talent and provide FREE face masks just pay shipping.  That one post went viral and within 3 days, I had over 1,000 request for FREE face mask.

After being featured in KHON2 news and online resources mentioning Sky Dreams LLC was providing FREE face mask, word quickly spread and the demand became greater than I had envisioned.

As the demand for face mask grew, I was truly Blessed to receive calls and messages from family, friends and friends of friends asking how they could donate their time and talent to my project. Without their help, I could not achieve the volume of request.  I had several awesome volunteers who help cut and sew.

My community showed up too asking how they can donate to the Giving Back project with fabric, supplies, even packing up request.  Those that wanted to make a monetary donation, I asked to donate to their Church, Food Bank and other organizations that stepped up during this time of need to serve the community.

Most are unaware that I am a one women business owner.  My workshop is located in my converted my 2 car garage which allows me to work from home and care for my grandchildren during the day while my daughter is at work full time.

My last installment of the Giving Back project was November 14, 2020.  2,700 FREE face masks given out to my community near and as far as Japan and Australia. 

The Giving Back project not only allowed me an opportunity to give back to my community, it allowed me to meet some truly amazing people throughout the process.  Many of the recipients of my FREE face mask and their family and friends quickly showed their Aloha and support for my small business.  Whenever I launched a new item, it quickly sold out.  I cherish the heartwarming notes, cards, emails and messages from people thanking me for what I am doing.  My customers are everything to me.  I am forever grateful.

The Giving Back project truly has been the most rewarding thing I had ever done.