Congregational Care Team Requests Plastic Grocery Bags To Create Plastic Mats for People Experiencing Homelessness
For those of you who don’t know this, I am an avid knitter and have been in weekly knitting groups since about 2005. My weekly knitting group that has just reestablished decided to do a social justice project to help people who are less fortunate during the pandemic. We are making plastic mats for people experiencing homelessness, to provide a water barrier and insulation to keep their bodies warm while sitting or sleeping on the ground.
It takes more than 700 plastic grocery bags to make the plarn (plastic yarn) that’s used to construct each mat. The plastic grocery bags are cut in a certain way and tied, to make balls of plarn for the projects. These mats are popular among people experiencing homelessness because they are also lightweight to be transported easily. Each mat is made with an attached tie so it can be rolled up and carried.
So, if you’re wondering what you can do to recycle those pesky plastic bags that we all get at the grocery store, now’s your chance to make a difference. Please collect them and deliver them to the church’s social hall, and I will distribute them to the knitting group members who are dedicated to making this social justice project happen. Thank you for your generous response so far!
If you are interested in helping out by crocheting or knitting mats, please contact me at 719-205-0359, and I can get you a pattern and instructions for making plarn. Your donation or help makes our work possible, and we thank you so very much.
My best to you always,
Julia Wedemeyer
PPMCC Congregational Care Team Lead
Vice-Moderator of the Board of Directors