Local non-profit goes into weaving business to help itself help others ...

Lelia Wright has no shortage of elbow grease."I just love using my hands," says Wright.But Wright, 51, never dreamed of using those hands to weave."No I never thought I'd be a rug designer."Wright has been struggling to find work, going from Women praying to be heard at the Western Wall"temp service to temp service" for the last two years. Lately she was working part time, doing construction work. The only steady money coming into the home was to help her 18-year-old autistic daughter.

That was until she found a non-profit called Re-Loom in Decatur a little more than a year ago.Now she sits behind her loom everyday and weaves everything."I like to make them all," she said. "Down to the scarf, change purse and rugs and mats made out of plastic."This is Re-Loom's business.It is a non-profit created by the Initiative for Affordable Housing. But this is a full 40 hour a week job with benefits.They make beautiful hand-woven material. Then it's sold and all of the profits go right back into the business.

"Weaving is complicated," said Executive Director Lisa Wise. "They are not only picking the colors and the designs, but they are working the machines to make something beautiful."But those handling this complicated process are those that haven't had much luck getting hired."You can't just come off the street and think your fixing to do this," said Fred Brown, 29.But that's the thing; the street is exactly where Fred came from.

Source: http://nonwovenbag.skynetblogs.be/archive/2012/12/25/local-non-profit-goes-into-weaving-business-to-help-itself-h.html

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