Xavier Elliot Starts a Charity Sewing Clothes for Homeless Kids

23 Jun, 2015 by McGuire

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A 10-year-old boy has figured out how to take the lemons life has handed him and make lemonade. The grade schooler, son of a Iraq veteran, was homeless after his father returned from service. Now that his struggle has ended, Xavier is reaching out to help others who are in the same shoes he once wore – in a very unique way:

Xavier Elliott, from Phoenix, Arizona, lived in about six shelters after his dad came back from Iraq; the US Army veteran came home from war with PTSD, and the family struggled to stay on its feet.

Now that they are no longer homeless, Xavier is incredibly grateful for everything he has, and he wants to use his good fortune to help kids whose families are still struggling. So he’s using his own money and free time to sew new clothes, which he plans to donate to shelters around Arizona.

One day, Xavier watched as his mother, Stephanie, was making a purse on her sewing machine, and he asked her for a lesson.
‘We have so much stuff I think we should give stuff [to] homeless kids,’ he told KPNX of his project.

He soon started buying fabric with his own allowance, while his mom taught him the basics on her sewing machine, teaching him how to stitch together simple designs and patterns.

‘I think the idea came to him from everything we have endured and wanting to make a difference for other people,’ she told The Huffington Post.

One he’s mastered the machine, Xavier plans to give the clothing he makes to organizations like the Salvation Army, Crisis Nursery, and an Arizona homeless shelter called UMOM New Day Center.

He’s also using a Facebook page that his mother created to make his philanthropic project even bigger. There, the family is seeking donations of fabric, child-sized mannequins, and other equipment.

Xavier is soliciting monetary donations as well, so he can buy more fabric and his own sewing machine. So far, he has raised $546, and the fabric donations have been pouring in.

What a good-hearted kid. Kudos to him on his efforts, and I am hopeful that he will be successful in his efforts. If you wish to donate to Xavier, please go to Crowdrise.

Written by Katie McGuire. Follow Katie on Twitter @GOPKatie, or email the author at [email protected]