SWS in the news





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SERVING WITH SMILES IN THE NEWS

Thank you to to Ryan and Cynthia Ruchti for the 
Corinne Allen and Elizabeth Jeffrey
It has been an honor to serve our community 







By Brandon Loomis, The Salt Lake Tribune, December 14, 2008
It started with just two families gathering up soap bars, toothbrushes and combs -- the basic humanizing instruments that needy kids in Utah County or around the world might need.
Soon Corinne Allen and co-founder Elizabeth Jeffrey were passing out leaflets and drawing dozens of kids to their monthly charity sessions at a Mormon church's gym, weaving caps and beading toys and sending them around the globe. On Saturday their efforts, now embodied in a nonprofit charity called Serving with Smiles, collected about 40 children to help their global peers and to celebrate the Christmas season by giving their time and talents. Some months it's 100 or more children.
"I feel really bad that some kids don't have blankets to sleep with," fifth-grader Morynn Smith said while stitching blue yarn tassels in a baby quilt decorated with tiny handprints. "I want to help all the kids in Africa."
And help kids in Africa they do, while also packaging hygiene kids for American servicemen in Afghanistan and bead-and-pipe-cleaner Christmas ornaments for patients at Primary Children's Hospital, which they will deliver when they go caroling.
Volunteer Jenny Amou-Berry returned from Africa last week after visiting her mother-in-law in Benin and delivering care packages there and in Togo. She described families living in mud huts with palm-thatched roofs or in rows of concrete rooms that resemble American storage units. Coal for their cooking fires is in short supply, she said.
"My husband told me how they live there, but I wasn't prepared," she said.
She delivered hygiene bags, school supplies, toy lizards that the Utah children had crafted from beads, and laminated picture books made from cut-out magazine photographs. The African children ran to her wherever she was and then dashed home with the gifts, she said.
American Fork Boy Scout Taggart Befus is among the volunteers who helps set up tables and chairs for the monthly craft sessions. He said he has been inspired by photos of children receiving their gifts.
"It made me feel good that we were helping kids living in such conditions," he said Saturday while looping yarn over pegs on a plastic, hand-held loom to create a stocking cap. "They looked really happy."
That sort of awareness is part of the group's mission, co-founder Allen said.
"We want the children to know there are people who live very far away from us who can use our help, and also people who live right here in American Fork," she said.
The group asks participating children to help raise supplies from their schoolmates' families, and to donate $5 at each monthly session.



By Brandon Loomis, The Salt Lake Tribune, December 14, 2008
 It started with just two families gathering up soap bars, toothbrushes and combs -- the basic humanizing instruments that needy kids in Utah County or around the world might need.
Soon Corinne Allen and co-founder Elizabeth Jeffrey were passing out leaflets and drawing dozens of kids to their monthly charity sessions at a Mormon church's gym, weaving caps and beading toys and sending them around the globe. On Saturday their efforts, now embodied in a nonprofit charity called Serving with Smiles, collected about 40 children to help their global peers and to celebrate the Christmas season by giving their time and talents. Some months it's 100 or more children.
"I feel really bad that some kids don't have blankets to sleep with," fifth-grader Morynn Smith said while stitching blue yarn tassels in a baby quilt decorated with tiny handprints. "I want to help all the kids in Africa."
And help kids in Africa they do, while also packaging hygiene kids for American servicemen in Afghanistan and bead-and-pipe-cleaner Christmas ornaments for patients at Primary Children's Hospital, which they will deliver when they go caroling.
Volunteer Jenny Amou-Berry returned from Africa last week after visiting her mother-in-law in Benin and delivering care packages there and in Togo. She described families living in mud huts with palm-thatched roofs or in rows of concrete rooms that resemble American storage units. Coal for their cooking fires is in short supply, she said.
"My husband told me how they live there, but I wasn't prepared," she said.
She delivered hygiene bags, school supplies, toy lizards that the Utah children had crafted from beads, and laminated picture books made from cut-out magazine photographs. The African children ran to her wherever she was and then dashed home with the gifts, she said.
American Fork Boy Scout Taggart Befus is among the volunteers who helps set up tables and chairs for the monthly craft sessions. He said he has been inspired by photos of children receiving their gifts.
"It made me feel good that we were helping kids living in such conditions," he said Saturday while looping yarn over pegs on a plastic, hand-held loom to create a stocking cap. "They looked really happy."
That sort of awareness is part of the group's mission, co-founder Allen said.
"We want the children to know there are people who live very far away from us who can use our help, and also people who live right here in American Fork," she said.
The group asks participating children to help raise supplies from their schoolmates' families, and to donate $5 at each monthly session. 

See the amazing Katy Walther, co-president of SWS Pleasant Grove in an article by the Deseret News 

See this article about Shelley Elementary service club and their efforts to collect donations for Serving With Smiles!



Projects History

Projects History 2007-2024 👊

Upcoming projects (WE'VE MOVED TO THE PROVO AREA! STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE STILL TAKING ITEM DONATIONS FOR KITS. Contact Elizabeth for more info but follow us on Instagram at servingwithsmiles or request to be on our email list)

"SWS Youth" - Friday night 5-7:00pm projects for kids ages 11-18. Bring snacks to share!
"All SWS" - Saturday morning  9-10:30am for kids ages 6+ and their families! Bring $5/person or $15/family suggested donation. 

2024 - September 14 QUILTAPALOOZA! 

We made 35 blankets and quilts and 50 humanitarian kits for our sweet friends in Mexico. We  also made homeless sleeping mats from plastic grocery bags! Thank you to Selena and her family for sharing their life changing experiences serving the people from a Child's Hope Foundation. We are excited to continue helping them in the future.  And thank you to all our dedicated and loving directors. You are the true heroes and have blessed countless lives. 

Corinne and Elizabeth - 17 years building good together.
Goodbye to this wonderful church building in American Fork

Thank you to amazing Laura and Kathy and Shauna for prepping these quilts
so the SWS kids could tie and prepare them for children in need

Thank you to Judy from Just Serve for supporting this project!


Thank you to Selena for a very inspiring presentation!




We are an awesome team and grateful for the chance to
help our friends in need. 35 quilts made. Wow!




Quilting pros!



December 2023

  • Thank you, thank you to Linnete Wilson from A Child's Hope Foundation for sharing the miracles that come from service!
  • We are proud of our SWS Youth Council for their leadership - conducting, leading, serving, recruiting, and being examples in our community
  • T-shirt dresses, quilts, toys, baby dolls, books, and cloth dolls for children in Mexico and Utah
  • Welcome in the second generation of SWS kids! We are so grateful for our foundational families who make SWS a place we all love to be.





Three generations of SWS service! Thank you Harmon family

Linette was an inspiration to hear from. Thank you!



These West ladies have been changing lives with their sewing skills for 17 years


Ellie Jeffrey serves on the SWS student council to guide and
conduct the projects as well as be an example to the younger participants

Isaac Allen has been doing this his entire life. Thanks!





Shauna lovingly prepared these beautiful tshirt dresses so young girls 
in need can have beautiful things to wear


















November 10, 2023 

SWS Youth Friday Night Service Fun

  • Corinne taught us how to make sleeping mats from grocery bags.
  • Shauna & Danielle bring back cool school bags
  • Laura led the charge to quilt three baby quilts
  • ABC Books are so valuable for orphanages









October 12, 2023 - Friday Night Fun serving others in need!



Third generation SWS!


Three quilts made to keep little ones warm


September 16, 2023 Saturday Project

  • Elizabeth Jeffrey was the guest speaker and taught about how service is magical!
  • Thank you to Lehi Bakery for the donated delicious donuts!
  • 40 SWS heroes made:
    • 2 baby quilts
    • 2 receiving blankets
    • Geckos
    • Bead Bracelets
    • ABC picture books











May 12, 2023 Friday Night Youth project


April 15, 2023 Saturday Project
  • Sarah Grill and Jill Brown from Lunchtime Service Events shared their awesome experiences
  • 50 SWS heroes made:
    • Baby blankets
    • Baby quilts
    • Bead bracelets
    • Bead geckos
    • Color pages
    • ABC picture books
    • Origami fish












March 11, 2023 Youth Conference

  • 40 heroes made:
    • 10 ABC books












February 10, 2023 Friday Night project

  • 20 heroes made:
    • Fleece blankets
    • Origami
    • Baby quilts














December 10, 2022 Saturday morning project

  • 82 heroes made:
    • Baby receiving blankets
    • Baby Quils
    • Bead bracelets
    • Bead geckos
    • Friendly cards
    • Coloring pages for retirement homes
    • ABC picture books
    • Origami






















November 4, 2022 Friday Youth Project

  • 25 heroes made:
    • Kid Kits for children in Ghana
    • Bead Geckos
    • Fleece blankets
    • ABC Picture Books
    • Origami




 

March 4, 2022 Friday Youth Project

  • 56 heroes made:
    • Stuffed baby dolls
    • Baby quilts
    • Origami
    • ABC picture books













December 10, 2021 - 

  • SWS Youth heroes make 30 kid kits for homeless shelter
  • Annette's home










 

AUGUST 21, 2021 (After a long Covid absence)
  • Guest speakers: Elaine and Rich Corbridge, reporting on humanitarian trip to Uganda in May 2021
  • New SWS Youth council!
























December 2020 - Serving With Smiles at Home

While we wait to gather as a group, so many generous 
SWS members have continued service at home.

Thank you for being angels to people in need❤️

Quilts made for Eyes4Zimbabwe and a local nursing home

Grandmas are the best!

Awesome family made quilts during family movie time. So fun!

Quilt making hero!

Marilee's friends and ward members have made 17 quilts 
for chlldren in Zimbabwe and local elderly friends in need of comfort during Covid restrictions. Thanks so much to:
Marilee Cole and family (quilts)
Karen Smart (quilts)
Asuka Wight (quilts)
Kaylee England (quilts)
Jamie Clement (quilts)
Jolene Hope (quilts)
Leanna Steinekert (quilts)
Claudia Johnson (quilts)
Selena Hreinson and Family (quilts and value bracelets)
Joseph Steed and BYU ward (100 humanitarian kits and quilts)
Hess Family (Bead geckos and loomed hats)
Asa Hull (loomed hats)

December 2020
When Eyes4Zimbabwe asked SWS for face masks for children in Zimbabwe, our heroes swooped in fast! In 8 days, we collected 687 face masks — some homemade, some store bought — all given with love and kindness. Thank you!!



687 Face masks, quilts, ABC books delivered!











Face mask making is a family thing!


              
Elaine Corbridge wins for fastest/best mask sewing hero!



November 2020

Thanks so much to Joseph Steed and his Brigham Young University friends for assembling 100 newborn and hygiene kits for our friends at Eyes4Zimbabwe

















August 2020

Although the ability to meet as a group didn't last long, because of Covid, we were grateful for the chance to get together. Thanks to Shelby and crew for making it possible!










February 8, 2020
Humanitize Expeditions Guatemala
Lynda Martin - Guest Speaker

A big round of applause for these amazing SWS teen leaders
who literally ran the show with their organization, leadership, and courage

Jordan, the SWS hero, is a table director (a job  usually
only Moms can handle) and the SWS teen council!

Lots of new people who love to serve

Our SWS directors make everything happen

Rockin the talkin!

A born leader right here

Her willingness to lead is inspiring 

Thank you Lynda Martin! Your message about the children in South America
was so appreciated! Humanitize Expeditions does so much good.


December 7, 2019
Operation Underground Railroad
Salt Lake City, UT
Made 150 aftercare kits
Record number of attendees - 250 (thanks to JustServe)


Elizabeth Jeffrey and Corinne Allen love the opportunity to
serve all the members of SWS and those we send donations to

With so many people, we had to invent new spaces to accommodate everyone

We were so grateful to all the newbies who were referred from JustServe

Start 'em young!

Anderegg Family ensured smooth registration with so many new registrations!
Real smiles come from serving on a Saturday morning

This kid has been coming since he was a newborn!

She's happy because she's serving

SWS time is quality family time

Some heroes look like Moms who wear SWS shirts



May 11, 2019
Eagle Scout newborn kits for refugees 
Lisa Valentine Clark guest speaker



 
Not only is Logan our SWS Youth President,
but he is also our Eagle Scout hero, and provided
supplies to assemble 100 newborn kits for refugees!
What an honor it was to hear from Lisa Valentine Clark
from BYU TV. We are so grateful for your words
of love, kindness, and wit! Thank you, thank you!

Bring it on! Our SWS kids can assemble kits
speedy fast!






Sometimes, going to classes helps SWS grow!



SWS youth leaders are a great example!


Corinne, the Kit Master!





   

February 9, 2019
Kid Kit project 

SWS hero right there! Thanks Jordan!

Corinne creates a perfect assembly line!

Keepin' it real




 BYU/UVU students love SWS!

We love our SWS Youth Council!

December 10, 2017 Christmas project

Sweet Amy Garner & Shauna West made a very special quilt for Elizabeth Jeffrey from pieces of the 1,350 t-shirt dresses we made for our friends at Eyes4Zimbabwe. 





September 9, 2017 project and T-Shirt dress Super Saturday        


Among other things, our SWS heroes assembled
100 kid kits for the victims of Hurricane Harvey

Who's this?  She's Super Amy and has given immeasurable
amounts of time to make t-shirt dresses!

T-shirt dresses are a great way to teach kids
how to sew!