What We Do
Our Foundation uses high quality donated fabrics to create unique Satchels of Caring that are filled with therapeutic and inspirational contents. If you would like to donate contents for our satchels, click here for more information.
Satchel of Caring Contents
Soft Turban from Hats for You
Scarf with Tying Instructions from Anokhi USA
Support Literature
Prescription Drug Assistance Brochure
Hand/Body Creams and Lip Balm
Inspirational Literature and Bookmark
Tissue Packets from IHR Boston International
Relaxation Music CD with the music of award-winning Peter Sterling
Blank Notecards designed by Nadia Zolak, breast cancer survivor
Journal donated by committee members and friends
Helping Hands organizations, committee members and friends meet at various community and committee events to select, cut and assemble sewing kits using coordinating fabrics, cording, trim and buttons donated by local commercial interior design firms. These kits are then sent to area middle schools, high schools, colleges, and sewing clubs to be assembled. When complete, a custom tag reading, “Made especially for you by Satchels of Caring Foundation” is sewn into each Satchel.
To request sewing instructions, click here. For information on how to become a Helping Hand or receive kits for your sewing group, click here.
When the finished bags are returned to our work area, located in Centre City Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, they are then filled with the contents described above before being delivered to our partners for distribution to women throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond who are undergoing chemotherapy.
To request sewing instructions, click here. For information on how to become a Helping Hand or receive kits for your sewing group, click here.
When the finished bags are returned to our work area, located in Centre City Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, they are then filled with the contents described above before being delivered to our partners for distribution to women throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond who are undergoing chemotherapy.
Distribution Partners
American Cancer Society Look Good Feel Better
Cancer Caring Center
Creative Hair Solutions - Pat Julkowski,
(2853 Oxford Blvd. Suite 107, Allison Park, PA 15101 (412) 492-1688)
Gilda’s Club
Hillman Cancer Center
Indiana Women’s Imaging Center
Magee Women’s Hospital
St. Clair Hospital
Sharon Regional Health System
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
-and-
Individuals & Friends
Cancer Caring Center
Creative Hair Solutions - Pat Julkowski,
(2853 Oxford Blvd. Suite 107, Allison Park, PA 15101 (412) 492-1688)
Gilda’s Club
Hillman Cancer Center
Indiana Women’s Imaging Center
Magee Women’s Hospital
St. Clair Hospital
Sharon Regional Health System
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
-and-
Individuals & Friends
"Helping Hands"
Ambridge Area High School
Baldwin Whitehall High School
Butler Junior High Crafts Club
Carson Middle School
Clairton City School District
Elizabeth Forward Middle School
Gateway High School
Hampton Township School District
Ingomar Middle School
Kiski Area School District
Langley High School
Mars Area School District
Mt. Lebanon High School
North Hills Middle School
Baldwin Whitehall High School
Butler Junior High Crafts Club
Carson Middle School
Clairton City School District
Elizabeth Forward Middle School
Gateway High School
Hampton Township School District
Ingomar Middle School
Kiski Area School District
Langley High School
Mars Area School District
Mt. Lebanon High School
North Hills Middle School
Pine-Richland High School
Peters Township
Peters Township High School
SEMS East
Seneca Valley School District
Shaler Area Schools
Thomas Jefferson High School
West Allegheny Middle School
Western PA School for the Deaf
Art Institute of Pittsburgh
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
LaRoche College, Interior Design Program
Wilkinsburg Senior High School
History
In 2003, CREW Pittsburgh members contacted the American Cancer Society (ACS) to find out how we could better support them through the Look Good, Feel Better program. As we learned what women newly diagnosed with cancer were going through, we began to consider what might provide comfort to them at this early stage of their treatment. We assembled our first satchels, which included a turban and support literature, and that year we gave out 200 Satchels to women participating in the American Cancer Society’s Program. In 2004 we distributed an additional 240 Satchels: 220 were distributed through the American Cancer Society and the other 20 to individuals and friends. Early in our Program, we received the following letter which confirmed our need to expand:
“I attended the “Look Good Feel Better” program, and won the Satchel as one of the door prizes. It is a great program and one you should be proud to be a part of. More are needed, as everyone should have gotten one… I can admire the bag and have shown it around to a lot of people. Thank you for the turbans, as I wear them while my hair is falling out… Please share my note with all the other people who are making the Satchels, as you never know how many people can be affected by one Satchel. You make them with love, and love is distributed with each piece that is given away by me or someone else. I wish I could sew, or drive, so I could help make them. It’s a wonderful idea, and it is really needed, as I felt “womanly” carrying my satchel and showing it off (thus taking attention off me and my appearance for just a little while). Thank you and continue to produce them.” -Theresa
After reading this letter, we made a commitment that if one member of a group was to receive our Satchel, we would have enough available so that every member present could also be given one.
In late 2004, we formed CREW Pittsburgh Foundation, a 501(c) 3 charity, to expand our efforts to assist women with cancer. In 2005, we enlisted the help of Reiko Becker, a graphic designer, who improved the quality of the presentation of our inspirational poems and bookmarks. We also used a consultant who suggested ways to improve our handmade scarf and instructions for scarf tying and searched for new resources to obtain quality items for inclusion in our satchels. Due to the phenomenal growth of our program, on January 1, 2010 CREW Pittsburgh and CREW Pittsburgh Foundation mutually agreed to end their seven-year association, in order for each to focus on its own core mission, and our name was changed to the Satchels of Caring Foundation.
From 2003 to 2009, the Satchels of Caring Foundation and its network of volunteers has expanded by 500%.
“I attended the “Look Good Feel Better” program, and won the Satchel as one of the door prizes. It is a great program and one you should be proud to be a part of. More are needed, as everyone should have gotten one… I can admire the bag and have shown it around to a lot of people. Thank you for the turbans, as I wear them while my hair is falling out… Please share my note with all the other people who are making the Satchels, as you never know how many people can be affected by one Satchel. You make them with love, and love is distributed with each piece that is given away by me or someone else. I wish I could sew, or drive, so I could help make them. It’s a wonderful idea, and it is really needed, as I felt “womanly” carrying my satchel and showing it off (thus taking attention off me and my appearance for just a little while). Thank you and continue to produce them.” -Theresa
After reading this letter, we made a commitment that if one member of a group was to receive our Satchel, we would have enough available so that every member present could also be given one.
In late 2004, we formed CREW Pittsburgh Foundation, a 501(c) 3 charity, to expand our efforts to assist women with cancer. In 2005, we enlisted the help of Reiko Becker, a graphic designer, who improved the quality of the presentation of our inspirational poems and bookmarks. We also used a consultant who suggested ways to improve our handmade scarf and instructions for scarf tying and searched for new resources to obtain quality items for inclusion in our satchels. Due to the phenomenal growth of our program, on January 1, 2010 CREW Pittsburgh and CREW Pittsburgh Foundation mutually agreed to end their seven-year association, in order for each to focus on its own core mission, and our name was changed to the Satchels of Caring Foundation.
From 2003 to 2009, the Satchels of Caring Foundation and its network of volunteers has expanded by 500%.
Year
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Total to Date
2010 – Projected
Satchels
Distributed
200
240
250
610
700
1,100
1,001
4,101
1,000
Through fundraising efforts, as well as corporate and individual donations, we have been able to cover both administrative and production costs on the 4,100 satchels distributed to date. Yet statistics from American Cancer Society indicate that we are only reaching 50% of the women participating in the Look Good Feel Better Program in Allegheny County. Additionally, we have not even begun to meet the needs of those receiving care at Magee, Allegheny General or West Penn Hospitals or women with cancer who live in adjacent counties who do not have similar, organized resources available to them.
Our goal for the future is to continue our expansion throughout western Pennsylvania to reach as many women as we can as early as possible in their diagnosis.
Our goal for the future is to continue our expansion throughout western Pennsylvania to reach as many women as we can as early as possible in their diagnosis.
Board of Directors
Elizabeth Krichten
CBRE | Capital Markets
President
Heather Knuth
Integrity Design
President Elect/Outreach Director
Donna Naab
Special Counsel
Secretary/Grant Development
CBRE | Capital Markets
President
Heather Knuth
Integrity Design
President Elect/Outreach Director
Donna Naab
Special Counsel
Secretary/Grant Development
Georgine Golitko
Indoff
Treasurer
Eileen Iorio
Eckert Seamans Cherin Mellott, LLC
Outreach Director
Leslie Waldron
Spectra Contract Flooring
Marketing Director
Indoff
Treasurer
Eileen Iorio
Eckert Seamans Cherin Mellott, LLC
Outreach Director
Leslie Waldron
Spectra Contract Flooring
Marketing Director
Kathy Graham
Director of Production/Distribution
Director of Production/Distribution