MONROE — Monroe Congregational Church, 34 Church Street in Monroe, will host a sew-a-thon to support Dress A Girl Around the World on Saturday, September 15, from 10 am until 3 pm.

Dress a Girl Around the World is a campaign under Hope 4 Women International, a 501(c)(3) organization, that has worked to bring dignity to women around the world since 2006. Hope 4 Women International is a nondenominational independent Christian organization.

Its mission states in part: “We dream of a world in which every girl has at least one new dress. We want girls to know that they are worthy and respected and that they are loved by God.”

The Monroe group has partnered with Sacred Heart University’s Global Health Programs & Health Science Program in Fairfield to help distribute to girls all over the world. The university has medical mission trips planned in the fall for Jamaica and Guatemala. The recent natural disaster in Guatemala should make the need for dresses even more pressing. The Monroe Dress A Girl Around the World is hoping that other churches and organizations will host sew-a-thon events to help make and provide much-needed dresses for the girls in need.

Another partner delivering dresses to Haiti is Hope for Haiti’s Children. They delivered dresses to Haiti in July.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 750 dresses have been packed and another 80-plus kits have been assembled. Monroe sew-a-thons have been hosted by St Peter’s Church (in January, with 261 dresses packed out; and May, with 65 dresses packed and 49 kits assembled) and Monroe Congregational Church (in April, with 319 dresses packed out; and June, with 127 dresses packed and another 39 dress kits assembled).

Sew-a-thons are open to those who sew at all levels, along with anyone who would like to help.

The September 15 gathering will include special guest Professor Christina Gunther, the interim executive director, Office of Global Affairs & English Language Institute and director and instructor, Global Health & Health Science Programs, at Sacred Heart University. During lunch, Dr Gunther will share her experiences distributing the dresses that have been made locally for the Dress A Girl events.

Those who would like to help but cannot attend are invited to the remaining events in 2018: Saturday, September 29, at United Methodist Church, 515 Cutler’s Farm Road in Monroe; or Saturday, November 3, at Monroe Congregational Church.

Additional ways to help the group include donating fabric to make dresses, asking for a dress kit to assemble at home, or making a tax-deductible donation. Visit dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/donate for additional information. Checks can be mailed to Hope 4 Women International, PO Box 14, Forest City IA 50436.

For additional information about the upcoming sew-a-thon events or the Monroe Dress A Girl Around the World group, contact Liz Skarzynski at 203-257-7174. Registration is requested and can also be done by contacting Ms Skarzynski.