The next round of Refresh Bags won’t be the lined drawstring toiletry bags we’ve been making, instead we are making super- stretching drawstring backpacks.

Background:
We’ve delivered over 120 Refresh Bags so far to teens in foster care in Delaware. Refresh Bags are hand made bags filled with basic, ideally name brand, full-size toiletry items like toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, Chapstick, deodorant, shaving cream, razors, comb, tissues, and for girl bags, feminine products. They all also include something fun, like a deck of cards, nail polish, jewelry making kits, or a game.

I make the bags by hand with my sewing machines, we raise funds and gather donations to fill the bags. My boys help to determine quantities, source, purchase, organize and fill the bags. Each bag tends to have a value of $12 to $20, depending on sale prices and items available.

The Refresh Bags are typically delivered to Delaware’s Division of Youth and Family Services to be distributed to social workers to deliver the Refresh Bags to teens in Delaware’s foster care system.

New Refresh Drawstring Backpacks:
We’ve tested a double-sided poly stretch fabric that seems to have special powers. When made into a drawstring backpack it keeps stretching and stretching to fit whatever you need to carry in it. We carried a bulky blanket, a winter coat, travel neck pillow, headphones and charger in the bag with no issues.

We’ve cut all of the fabric for 70 bags.

My oldest son and I folded and pinned the bags to prepare them to be serged.

Some of the fun items that will be included in this round of Refresh Bags are ten of each of the Crayola Jewel Maker kits and Scrabble Twist games!

Still to come: serging the sides of the bags, creating the channel for the drawstring and the holes in the bottom corners to secure the ends of the string. And raising funds and gathering donated items!

Stay tuned!