dreams realized on a budget. A place where a Girl Scout troop can come and create art projects worthy of a gift exchange. But it is so much more than that. It is also a place that celebrates the environment by reducing waste through repurposing items—a place that educates others about the community and the unique needs of the homeless. Above all, it is a place that redefines what it means to give back to others through real-life project-based learning that enriches the lives of both the patrons and the displaced. It is a pay-it-forward playhouse. By hosting low cost “crafternoons” for kids, providing summer art camps for teens, as well as having an expansive resource center where the community can explore office and creative supplies, Scraps KC can teach others about how they can help, but it also helps fund their organization. Through this funding, they can offer food, clothing and a place inside from the sometimes unforgiving elements to people who may feel as if the world has forgotten them. The homeless help keep Scraps KC going by donating their time cleaning, assisting and helping manage the supplies in exchange for a meal, a conversation or a listening ear. "It is a place free of judgment. People come in because they want a warm place and someone to love them," Brenda says. "Our primary mission is to work with them and to lift them up so they can thrive." The Scraps KC experience is a cyclical one that moves through the creative process—to environmental education, to homeless education, to a purpose-driven life. Brenda hopes that by teaching and feeding she can build and keep relationships and that these relationships will extend far beyond the community. She looks in the future and sees a community garden, a playground and even an event space that can be used to host even larger projects. She hopes that many more people will come to 12th Street to learn. How can the public get involved? Currently, Scraps KC receives about 2,000 pounds weekly from community manufacturers, designers, architectural design firms and businesses who are often rebranding or downsizing scrap materials, but there is always room for more. Anyone who has fabric supplies, knitting materials or arts and crafts provisions are welcome to donate. At this time, the greatest need is in used school supplies that can be cleaned and redistributed. This supply drive successfully gifted 101 underserved classrooms in 2017 with more than 12,000 supplies. Brenda hopes to surpass this goal and encourages people to donate as well as volunteer this summer to sort and clean through supplies. This is a great opportunity for area schools to consider as the school year winds down. Visit ScrapsKC.org for more details.
April 2018 | Leawood Lifestyle
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