Last year I had the immense pleasure to start a friendship with Amy Jandrisevits, owner and creator at A Doll Like Me.
You might remember the Share the Love Campaign hosted here. Many, many quilters joined in to make special doll quilts to be sent with the lovely dolls Amy makes for children with physical differences.
So many sweet doll quilts were donated!
The campaign resulted in well over 300 doll quilts and I still receive emails now and then from quilters who want to send one to Amy.
I wanted to provide a brief update for readers as it has been nearly a year since the campaign. Of course the need for these amazing dolls is on-going and Amy continues to sew constantly in an effort to keep up with the demand. The amazing thing is Amy’s work has been noticed! Not just by us and the families she works with. Lately, she has experienced a surge of interest by the media as they are made aware of the important work she does.
Media exposure is a wonderful thing as it helps to spread the idea that all children want/need/deserve representation. They need to see themselves as ‘normal’, to know that their differences are not to be hidden or embarrassed by. Receiving a doll that reflects them and looks like them helps them to do this. Having the media spread the word as they have been doing over the past weeks is going to teach a huge lesson in acceptance for readers who haven’t necessarily thought in these terms or been exposed to this idea.
One of the ways this media excitement started was due to an honor bestowed upon A Doll Like Me by the Go Fund Me organization. Amy has had a campaign running on Go Fund Me for quite some time. Last December the organization really took notice of Amy by giving her the Hero of the Month award in December. Each month Go Fund Me does a story on a campaign they feel is worthy in the hopes of spreading the word even further. When they gave this award to A Doll Like Me in December Amy’s campaign spread like crazy and donations in excess of $20,000 poured in. The donations continue as does the exposure for this cause.
Largely due to the Go Fund Me award, many media outlets became aware of the work Amy does. The story was picked up by the local CBS station in Wisconsin, providing great publicity for this important work. Click through to see the five minute video segment – it is fantastic!
Such a beautiful collage of photos!
She has also been featured on many on-line sites including (but certainly not limited to) MSN.com, Fatherly.com, Dipply.com, the Journal-Sentinel.
Photo from an article in Highlights Magazine’s blog.
Amy’s work was also featured in a blog post for Highlights Magazine – remember that magazine from when we were young?
I am so happy to see the increase in exposure for A Doll Like Me and the fantastic financial support Amy is garnering with the Go Fund Me campaign. She will be able to continue to work on these special dolls and with the funding, provide them to families who might not be able to afford them.
Three of the quilts I made for Amy last year.
I chatted on-line with Amy this morning to check in. She has sent out in excess of 200 quilts since last year!! She still has a supply to work with but it makes her so happy to have shared so many. The quilts are such a special addition to the dolls and both child and family seem to value them greatly.
Doll clothes and hospital gowns donated to A Doll Like Me.
In addition to the doll quilts, several of us made tiny hospital gowns for Amy. She requested these because many of the children experience a high number of hospitalizations. The gowns make the experience even more relatable as they can dress their doll in one when they are going to have another stay. Pretend play and working through the anxiety of each hospital stay is made a bit more relevant with these gowns. When Amy sends one to a child she knows needs it, she gets marvelous feedback. The parents have told her it makes the doll a complete ‘mini-me’ for the child. Some moms have told Amy the hospital gown brought tears to their eyes (and to one father’s eyes as well). These tiny gestures are incredibly valuable.
It turns out Amy is just about out of the gowns. She has asked me to let you know this in the hope some of you would like to spend an hour and make one or two for her. They are so simple to make. See this post for details! It only takes a fat quarter, some bias tape and about an hour of your time to make one. If you could, please do spend a little time on this! I am happy to provide the mailing info for A Doll Like Me. Just email me – I don’t want to post the mailing information publicly on this post. My email is [email protected]. There is no time limit on this – she would love to receive them whenever someone is inclined to make one. Questions about this can be left in the comments and I will get back to you.
That’s it for now. I am so happy to see the word spread about A Doll Like Me. Thank you so much for taking part in this earlier and for helping out as time goes forward. Amy is humbled by and grateful for your support.
Linking up with a few favorites. See the list at the top of the page, under Link Ups.
Thank you for sharing this update with us! This is great news to hear. I’ve never been lucky with what I refer to as 3D sewing, but I printed the pattern out and will give gown sewing a try this week. I’ve never played with bias tape before 🙂
Tish, I am happy to help if you need it. This project is a great one to get started with because it is quite simple and you will get familiar with the idea of garment sewing. Don’t hesitate if you need help tho.☺️
Hi Bernie, I’m so glad to hear about her work getting more attention. I have one gown and a quilt that I need to send to her, but I’ve been holding it, hoping to make a few more. I think I have her address from my last send, but will contact you if I need it. Thanks!
Sounds good. Thanks so much Wendy!
Fantastic 🙂
I just sent her a large box with about 20- something quilts in it a couple weeks ago. think i’ll make a few gowns, too. thanks for the updated info.
You have been amazing Shirley. Thank you for continuing to support A Doll Like Me!!
Shirley….you amaze me. I am SO behind on my quilt thank yous. I DID get your box and love pouring through it!!! Thank you so much.
Thank you for this update. This motivates me to get back to sewing for A Doll Like Me. I’ve just printed the pattern and am eager to try the hospital gown..
Wonderful to hear Carol. It is a fun, simple pattern. I just pulled a couple of fat quarters and plan to make them up today. Enjoy1! Let me know if you need the address.
It has been really neat to see and hear of Amy’s continued efforts, and the support she has been receiving! Thank you so much for your updates, Bernie!
No problem! Do you follow A Doll Like Me on Facebook? I love seeing the updates she posts there. Have a great day Sarah! Stay warm.
I’m so happy to read this update about Amy and her wonderful work! All the recognition is so well deserved. Thanks for sharing, Bernie!
You’re welcome Louise. I am happy to share the work she does and to drum up a little help along the way! Hoping to make a hospital gown later today. 🙂
Thanks for the update. So glad to hear about the exposure she’s been receiving. Such an awesome cause.
You’re welcome! The extra exposure and funding will help her to help so many more children. Wonderful!
Thanks for this update -a real day brightener!!
For sure – Amy makes many people’s days so much brighter!!
This post made my day. : )
Aw, that is so sweet. Have a wonderful day Michelle.
Mine too!!
Hi Bernie, This is such a great cause. I originally made, I don’t know, a few quilts for Amy, probably
a dozen. I got a little carried away. Since then when I have left over blocks, etc. I make a couple more and send them. In fact I mailed 3 more yesterday. I did ask her to let me know if she is getting too many, but figured just 3 more couldn’t be too many.
Haha – that is great. I am sure she appreciates receiving them Donna! Thank you so much.
I know about Amy and her wonderful initiative – A Doll Like Me only because of you. I do follow her on FB and have on more than one occasion shown it to co-workers and friends. The kids’ smiles light up the world. I am sure I will be sending more doll quilts to her. Big hugs to you.
Thank you Preeti. I am happy to support Amy’s work and love that you are doing the same. Her FB page is amazing, isn’t it? Have a wonderful weekend!!
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