For more than 65 years, the United Way of Miami County has been working to make Miami County a great place to live and work. But homelessness is a growing issue in Miami County, especially in Peru.
United Way is one of several service providers. We strive to alleviate the grip of homelessness on our neighbors, even if that means helping make them a little more comfortable in their situation. Unfortunately, it’s not a secret that when homeless individuals cannot find shelter, they most likely resort to sleeping on the street without any barrier between their bodies and the ground.
United Way has recently been blessed with a grant from NIPSCO Charitable Foundation that will help provide additional comfort to our neighbors experiencing homelessness. In July, the United Way of Miami County is sponsoring a public PLARN (plastic yarn) Sleeping Mat Workshop.
Our Mission is to straighten and cut plastic bags, and crochet mats made of PLARN (plastic yarn) and help our local homeless population. You can help by collecting plastic bags, cutting, and crocheting bags. The United Way will provide everyone who joins the initiative with a cutting board, scissors, crochet needles, and a bag.
The public PLARN Workshop is scheduled for July 7, 2022, at Community Resource Center from 4:30 – 6:30 pm. The registration deadline is June 30, 2022.
It takes seven hundred bags to make a sleeping mat; start collecting now!
A tutorial video is available to watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUVLsWA1b8Y.
If you want to donate plastic bags or PLARN to the United Way Sleeping Mats for our homeless neighbors, you can drop them at the Community Resource Center, 13 E Main Street, Peru.
To register for the PLARN Workshop, visit the United Way website or call the United Way office at 765-473-4240. Registration is open from May 9 – July 1, 2022.
Visit https://www.uwmiamip.org/public-plarn-workshop to register; for more information.