Help me save the world with bags

A little over a year ago, I started a hobby.  Having never crocheted before, I learned how to in order to turn grocery bags into an amazing thing called Plarn, plastic yarn.

I was taught to make mats for the homeless.  From the moment I sat at the table to learn this skill from some fantastic ladies, I knew this was my calling.   You see, I used to hate these bags, with a passion.  I was known as the "tree hugging hippie" because I hate what our spoiled living is doing to this planet and natural resources.  From that first minute seeing someone process the bags to crochet them, I became The Bag Lady.  Now everything I hated about them before, is a good thing.  There are so many of them and they stay here forever. 

I know handing a homeless person a mat is like putting a bandaid on a severed arm. However, I also  knew that I was going to take this and use it as a way to change the world. I just needed to start small and I have.  It is already quickly turning into something amazing.  I am handing them bandages to stop the bleeding as I am learning to be a surgeon!

My mission statement is: Giving people and bags a new purpose. 

I am already going to schools, libraries, churches, women's clubs and really whoever will allow me to show up there and teach them this amazing thing.  I am slowly gaining the trust of my local homeless communities and have had a couple already attend my classes learning how to do this.  My ultimate goal is to be able to employ hard to employ people, which is a huge contributing factor to homelessness.  We will have a large amount of recycling bins in the area, keeping these pesky things out of the landfill (GARBAGE MOUNTAIN).  We will work with many organizations continually making things to be donated  various ways in the community.  I have evolved into making many useful items for people to use.   If you "need" what I make, it is given to you.  If you "want" what I make, I do have a reasonable price on some things them and by selling them that allows me to continue to have the time and resources to make things for those who "need" them.   We will sell our amazing hand crafted green useful items online, festivals and trade shows as well donating many items to different places in the community.  People who might be down on their luck are going to gain employment, purpose, confidence and more important, LOVE from mankind.  The homeless are not outside our community, they ARE a  part of our community, humanity.

I have come in contact with some companies that employ disabled adults and take contracts for work.  I would absolutely love to have them process the bags for me which allows me to make the items much faster.  Each mat takes 700 bags to process.  I am a single mom, trying to save the world with bags.  Sadly, I have no ability to offer them any salary.  But I want to!!

I need YOUR help.  Every amount adds up and together we can make this happen.  In order to even get the approval as a non profit I have to pay a fee that at this point, I can only dream about.  Without help, I can't do it. With help, I am going to change the world.  Just wait and see.  I have devoted my life to this and I am loving every minute of it.  I have never been more proud of myself and I want to share this feeling with as many people as I can.