• Be sure to specify the correct program title, contact name(s), street address, phone numbers and e-mail or Web site information for your event, and indicate how you'd prefer to be contacted. This contact information will be printed in Sew News magazine. Please indicate if you'd prefer that certain contact information not appear in the printed magazine.
• Include a brief outline of what you or your group makes, how they make it, and who they make it for. Do non-sewers help, and how?
• Describe some of the projects. Which projects are the most popular? Who supplies the fabrics, notions and other materials? Photos are helpful in this area, and readers relate to seeing actual people, so be sure to include volunteers in your shot!
• Describe your sewing sessions: number of volunteers, length each day, number of weeks or favorite projects.
• What kind of community do you live in, and how does your charity work within your community? Do any retailers, stores or dealers help with supplies, sewing space or machines?
• Share one or two interesting anecdotes about your charity efforts. What are your future goals? Why has this program been meaningful for you and your volunteers and their families? Please share any applicable quotes from volunteers or recipients.
• Tell us about yourself! What is your sewing background or what training have you had? What's your current (or previous, if retired) occupation? How did you get interested in your volunteer project? (Let us know if you would rather that your age NOT be published, or if it's all right to indicate that you're a senior citizen.)
• Sew News readers will want to know how they can contribute in their own communities, or to your efforts. Include important contact information, and be specific in what supplies are needed. Indicate if donations must be pre-approved before they are sent, and if so, by whom. Do you accept personal donations (checks), and if so, are they tax deductible?
• Can Sew News readers mirror your efforts in their own communities? If so, how?

Be specific and include details about your projects, and include any other comments that you think might be helpful to readers. If you have questions, please write to Giving Back, Sew News, 741 Corporate Circle, Ste. A, Golden CO 80401, or e-mail sewnews@sewnews.com.

Thank you so much for your volunteer efforts--and for sharing your story with Sew News!

Publication notes:

Printing schedules require us to work about five months ahead of publication dates, and we have many stories to consider. Please know how much we appreciate being sent news of your charity project(s). However, we cannot guarantee publication. You will be notified if your story is chosen for publication, and we will make every effort to ensure that the information and photos are current.