A decade ago, a friend gave Renita Yahara three boxes of outdated fabric. Looking for a way to put it to use, the Elizabethtown resident searched for charitable sewing organizations. She discovered Dress a Girl Around the World, an organization that uses volunteer sewing groups to provide dresses to girls in need. 

Rather than just donate the fabric, Renita took action. Since 2017, she and other women have distributed more than 15,000 dresses to girls experiencing poverty or who are at risk for human trafficking. “Having five granddaughters that I enjoyed sewing for, it was the perfect outlet for my need to create,” she shared.

Dress a Girl Around the World was founded by Rachel Cinader in 2009. It is a campaign of Hope 4 Women International, which formed as a nondenominational Christian nonprofit in 2006 to bring dignity to women around the world. From its base in Iowa, the organization has spawned volunteer sewing groups across the United States, as well as internationally (Canada, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia and the United Kingdom). 

Dresses are distributed through Hope 4 Women and other international organizations, striving toward its mission of providing at least one new dress to every girl in need to help them know they are worthy of respect and are loved by God. Since the organization’s founding, more than 4 million dresses have been sent to 90 countries around the world.

Renita serves as president of the local chapter of Dress a Girl, sewing dresses, collecting dresses from other people, speaking at local churches and service groups about the project and serving as state ambassador for the effort.

The project is a natural fit for Renita, who operates E-Town Sewing Studio. The business teaches students ages 7 through adults the “lost art of sewing,” she said, noting that learning to sew promotes hand-eye coordination, reading comprehension, self-confidence, creativity, problem solving and much more.

Renita was drawn to Dress a Girl because of its focus on helping girls who are truly in need. “These dresses go to girls who have nothing,” she said. “We have been told by people in the field what a difference this makes in a child’s life.”

When Renita launched the local chapter of Dress a Girl in 2017, she wondered if there would be an interest from other women in helping with the nonprofit’s mission. “The Merchandiser ran a story in May of that year, and many ladies showed up the next day to help,” she recalled. “Most are still sewing with us!”

Volunteers meet weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon at Renita’s studio (222 Peach Alley, Elizabethtown), to mass-produce cute and modest dresses using a pattern Renita designed. No sewing experience is necessary.

Volunteers can also sew dresses from home, using patterns linked on the E-Town Sewing Studio’s website, (etownsewingstudio.com). Beyond sewing dresses, people can support Dress a Girl by donating fabric or funds. “We are always, always, always in need of 100% cotton fabric that is suitable for little girl dresses,” she noted. “Since we are a nonprofit, we also accept cash donations so we can purchase supplies.”

To learn more about Dress a Girl Around the World, visit, dressagirlaroundtheworld.com.

Cat Shannon writes for the community newspapers – Merchandiser, Advertiser and Pennysaver – that are published by Engle Printing & Publishing/Townlively.com.