Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Pan.
Hi Allison, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Lifting people out of situations they have no control over – whether it be grief, homelessness, or trauma – requires a solution that is nothing short of human connection. From eagerly opening silly keepsake spoons from friends that made me smile to being gifted a stuffed dog that dragged me out of my grief, I was quick to learn that gifting (whether it be tangible objects or gifting time and words) is what initiates those profoundly positive connections. I want to deliver those moments and smiles to communities around me now that I have walked a long mile in their shoes.
Project Stitch-Up was first brought to life as a fusion of crochet enthusiasts and my vision for creating a bridge between those who wanted to help and those seeking help. Our nonprofit donates crochet projects for homeless and trauma centers and addresses insecurity on a global scale through clothing and canned food drives. In November of 2022, we had our first meeting in a windy park with a basket full of balls of yarn, metal crochet hooks, and two dozen donuts: it was a perfect example that impact could take place anywhere through any conditions, as long as the right people with the right motivations contributed. We literally “stitched up” during crochet workshops that invite and teach everyone, regardless of experience, to crochet. Moreover, though, we focus on the emotional “stitching up” everyone can be a part of. Developing personalized relationships is crucial, whether it be through volunteer events that feature crocheting and conversing alongside those in assisted living or Valentine’s cards paired with crochet hearts for disabled patients in isolation across Texas HHS facilities. Currently, our organization has 129 members and a board of directors from 11 schools across the Dallas-Fort-Worth metroplex. Over this past semester alone, we’ve donated over 100 hand-crocheted projects to The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center and in partnership with Kroger’s Zero Waste Initiative, almost 1,000 pieces of clothing to the World Wear Project. This is just the beginning: I hope to expand Project Stitch-Up to establish global chapters and use my commitment, actions, and leadership to serve as the stitches that both bind people to larger initiatives and heal the “wounds” of the global community around me.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Unlike the crochet patterns I found online, Project Stitch-Up did not come with some fail-proof instruction kit guiding me through the ins and outs of starting a nonprofit: an assortment of yarn and a pack of crochet hooks was simply not enough to run a well-rounded, impactful organization. It required repeated trial and error, constant adaptability, and more than anything, persistence. From being overlooked as a mere playtime for arts and crafts to scraping through projects with an unengaged member base, it certainly has not been an easy journey. I was shot down countless times: cold emails for potential partnerships left unresponded to, pushback for delegating tasks to officers, and on top of everything: a piling list of responsibilities. Though, a wave of motivation swept me as I delivered sack lunches to homeless communities during a trip to Los Angeles this past spring, and Project Stitch-Up quickly climbed its way back to first priority. Instead of fixating on the setbacks, I decided to reinvest my energy into what mattered: the “tomorrow” I was creating and (as cheesy as it sounds) the hope our organization brought, no matter how small. I engaged members by first establishing a small community within our nonprofit with regular potlucks and icebreakers in the form of songwriting. After all, disconnected members create an ineffective organization. With our members back on track and immersed in the spirit of serving, I led our organization to focus on what was real. I made an important addition to our mission: developing meaningful connections with people. Yes, donations and crocheted projects are beyond impactful and appreciated, but having conversations with those we helped, whether it be their breakfast that morning or their greatest fears, and getting to know them beyond a statistic was key to humanizing our approach. I found importance in simply looking past the negative feedback I received; people will never fully be satisfied with even world-changing solutions to inequity, let alone a nonprofit led by a sixteen-year-old. The most I could do was lead with a heart for humanity and put in my all.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Beyond Project Stitch-Up, I find other unique ways to connect art and creativity with service. To say I have a lot on my plate is an understatement, but with the correct balance and discipline and with Project Stitch-Up’s mission at the cornerstone of everything I do, my stacked schedule has 100% been a blessing rather than a curse. Being crowned Miss Teen Asia American International and Miss Teen of America, First Runner-Up gave me a platform to employ my years of public speaking experience and amplify my advocacy for trauma survivors. Pageantry gave me an outlet to not only express my passion for pressing social issues but also, as a pageant coach, to empower a young generation of girls that will soon become our future. As an emcee for my music studio, music recitals were incomplete without holding the hand of students paralyzed with stage fright. Mrs. Malone’s students more or less saw me as their big sister, and in the process, I’ve learned much more than how to pronounce and read off a list of names – emceeing in itself gave me a blueprint for leadership, flexibility, and thinking on my feet. Soon, I found that every aspect of my creative hobbies linked to each other through service. My nighttime routine of falling asleep in splits and my extensive collection of chicken dance costumes paid off not only on the national stage but also in senior homes, volunteering to perform for an audience that beamed with joy. Within my family business, Pancha Boba, I lead my siblings in creating delicious milk tea drinks by employing my creativity: spending hours in the kitchen perfecting recipes and designing graphics that boost consumer engagement. It has been incredibly heartwarming to see our business grow into a community hotspot of affordability and shared joy with friends and family. In my future as a physician, I have no plans of departing from the foundations that I built Project Stitch-Up with from the ground and will continue to dedicate myself to magnifying service and creativity.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
As an organization built on the impact made through connection, collaboration is principal to us: we are always open to collaboration proposals and initiatives to establish chapters to make our impact reach a larger scope across local and global communities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/projectstitchup
- Instagram: projectstitchup
Image Credits
Sax Kalayaboon
Jarvis Jacobs
