Announcement
Luanne and Elsa – two friends from Lake Forest Park, WA – are on a mission to change the world, one welcome mat at a time.
Luanne (left) and Elsa (right) deliver their first batch of welcome mats to the IRC.
Photo: IRC
Earlier this year, in response to the tumultuous political scene surrounding refugees, immigrants, and the Muslim community, Luanne and Elsa knew they needed to do more to counteract the hate and lack of acceptance they were witnessing. They put their heads together and founded the Refugee Welcome Mats project. Inspired by their mutual love of crafting, the initiative aims to make and distribute 200 handmade welcome mats to brighten the homes of refugee families rebuilding their lives in Washington.
Elsa and Luanne create crocheted rugs from repurposed materials, such as old scarves, sheets, and clothing from the thrift store. They like everything about making the welcome mats – gathering the materials, ripping the cloth into strips, weaving the fabric, and even giving a unique name to each of the mats. The love and kindness poured in to every step of the process shines through in the finished products. “We want refugees to know there are people out here who care, who welcome them,” Elsa says.
Every welcome mat is affixed with a handmade tag and is given a unique name.
Photo: IRC
Luanne and Elsa have already created ten beautiful welcome mats and the movement is growing. They’ve created a website and Facebook group encouraging others, near and far, to join the effort. Elsa is also planning to teach a weekly class to high school students this fall, where students will learn to make the recycled rugs and each create one for a refugee family.
On their website, Luanne and Elsa sum up their motivation for starting this project: “We believe that the tapestry of our country is richer and more beautiful when we embrace people who need our help–no matter where they come from, what they believe, or what they look like. Creative acts of kindness are more important than ever.” We couldn’t agree more.
We are so grateful to Luanne and Elsa for sharing their talents to help welcome refugee families to our community. Check out their website and Facebook group for more creative inspiration!