Sewing machines for Dawson Center
Donation protected
Help me to help the Dawson Safe Haven Center replace five stolen sewing machines.
On January 26th, 2018 I had the pleasure of meeting Gail Danik - the caring and energetic director of Baltimore’s Dawson Safe Haven Center - as I toured the Center’s new home on East Preston Street in the city’s Oliver neighborhood: one of Baltimore’s poorest. As I toured the old school - now being repurposed as a community center - I was struck by how large and important an undertaking the Dawson Safe Haven Center was for the community, and how much needed to be done for the center to provide the safe haven that neighborhood teens need after school to keep them off the streets, out of harm’s way and in the company of those that care. Upon being shown a windowless space that was to be dedicated as a sewing room - where teens would learn how to sew on late-model Singer sewing machines - I was saddened to hear that five of the six sewing machines that were to be used for educational purposes had been stolen sometime after the center’s recent move, but before a lock could be installed on the sewing room door. They never got the chance to teach the kids this useful life skill, and with only one sewing machine remaining, will likely never get the chance.
After my tour was complete, I made a silent promise to myself to help the Dawson Center to raise money to replace those stolen machines.
Please, consider helping out.
The Dawson Safe Haven Center was created to honor Baltimore’s Angela Dawson, her husband, and her five children, who after repeatedly speaking out against the drug dealers in her neighborhood, were brutally murdered in a fire-bombing of their home by the very drug dealers with whom they resisted. The entire family perished on October 16th, 2002.
On January 26th, 2018 I had the pleasure of meeting Gail Danik - the caring and energetic director of Baltimore’s Dawson Safe Haven Center - as I toured the Center’s new home on East Preston Street in the city’s Oliver neighborhood: one of Baltimore’s poorest. As I toured the old school - now being repurposed as a community center - I was struck by how large and important an undertaking the Dawson Safe Haven Center was for the community, and how much needed to be done for the center to provide the safe haven that neighborhood teens need after school to keep them off the streets, out of harm’s way and in the company of those that care. Upon being shown a windowless space that was to be dedicated as a sewing room - where teens would learn how to sew on late-model Singer sewing machines - I was saddened to hear that five of the six sewing machines that were to be used for educational purposes had been stolen sometime after the center’s recent move, but before a lock could be installed on the sewing room door. They never got the chance to teach the kids this useful life skill, and with only one sewing machine remaining, will likely never get the chance.
After my tour was complete, I made a silent promise to myself to help the Dawson Center to raise money to replace those stolen machines.
Please, consider helping out.
The Dawson Safe Haven Center was created to honor Baltimore’s Angela Dawson, her husband, and her five children, who after repeatedly speaking out against the drug dealers in her neighborhood, were brutally murdered in a fire-bombing of their home by the very drug dealers with whom they resisted. The entire family perished on October 16th, 2002.
Organizer
Greg Baranoski
Organizer
Baltimore, MD
