Baldwin High School students displayed impressive sewing skills for Halloween, creating dozens of monster stuffed animals for families supported by the local nonprofit Bethany House, which assists women and children experiencing homelessness as they work toward stable housing.
Analisa Giannone, a family and consumer sciences teacher, spearheaded the project, reflecting the Baldwin School District’s focus on “students as producers” while providing them with a lesson in civics. The project also demonstrated how Baldwin’s fashion program equips students with practical skills as it encourages community engagement.
Students gained hands-on experience in operating a sewing machine, hand stitching, and creative design, all while supporting families in need.
“Teaching the importance of serving our community is just as valuable as mastering sewing techniques,” Giannone said in a news release. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to guide students through projects that blend creativity, compassion and skill-building.”
Roughly 50 students in the ninth through 12th grades participated, choosing their own monster patterns, adding unique touches to each creation, and producing more than 30 colorful stuffed felt monsters.
Giannone first launched a similar initiative two years ago, providing handmade dolls to children at the Baldwin Public Library. Inspired by that project’s success, she adapted the idea to this year’s plush-toy creations to benefit Bethany House families.
Bethany House of Nassau County, a local nonprofit, provides a safe haven for women and children facing homelessness, offering trauma-informed services, comprehensive health care, and case management that focuses on educational and employment growth opportunities. The organization emphasizes community support, guiding individuals from uncertainty to stability and empowering them on their journey toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
Lisa King, co-chair of Bethany House’s Development and Communications Committee, praised the students’ efforts.
“The Baldwin School District is so wonderful to our families and our children,” she told the Herald. “This is the second year that they’ve made these adorable little monsters for our children. The kids just loved them.”
King said gifts like the handmade stuffed animals have a meaningful and lasting impact not only on the children who receive them but also on the students who put time and care into making them, creating a shared experience of giving and learning.
“It helps not only our children, but helps the children who made these adorable stuffed monsters,” King said. “It helps them to realize that doing these small acts of kindness really have an incredible impact on other people. It makes our children feel loved and cared for and part of a community.”
The nonprofit places a strong emphasis on community partnerships, which it considers essential to achieving its mission of supporting women and children facing homelessness and helping them build stable, self-sufficient lives.
“Without these partnerships, we could not help the women the way that we do,” King said.
She added that the wide range of programs offered at Bethany House — from financial literacy and computer skills to yoga and mindful healing — are made possible largely through collaboration with local organizations, businesses and volunteers.
