VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Inside Operation Smile's Virginia Beach headquarters, volunteers gathered for the organization's Sewcial Project who also teamed up with GFH— sewing Smile Bags that will be distributed to children recovering from surgery around the world.
Marquisha Johnson and Kevin Johnson stepped into new roles as first-time instructors for the event, guiding volunteers through the process of creating the bags.
Kevin said the experience of moving from student to teacher was meaningful.
"I to was a first time sewer so to be on the opposite side being an instructor is amazing," Kevin said.
Operation Smile, headquartered in Virginia Beach, provides cleft surgeries and medical care to children globally. The Smile Bags are designed to bring comfort to patients as they begin their recovery journey.
Marquisha said even a small gesture can make a significant difference.
"Something as small as a small bag is going to be reached across the masses to better build and help patients after having such a transition from going one way to another. I mean you can't help with smile," Marquisha said.
This month's event also carried a Juneteenth theme, something Kevin said reflects both the holiday and the community coming together to serve others.
"It represents black liberation freedom and growth and how far we've grown as a community," Kevin said.
For Marquisha, one of the biggest rewards was seeing people gather around a common purpose while giving back.
"It feels great. I love that we are able to build connection back into our community," Marquisha said.
While each bag may only take a short time to make, Kevin said the impact lasts much longer for the children and families who receive them.
"There's a lot of people who go into putting these care packages together and the best feeling is hearing their story after the fact once they get the bag that's where it really counts," Kevin said.
Operation Smile will continue to hold Sewcial Project events, with future sessions planned to help people locally and internationally.
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