BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Chicago X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Chicago BEGIN:VEVENT UID:671@kicmke.org DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260429T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260429T173000 DTSTAMP:20260325T051430Z URL:https://kicmke.org/events/transform-plastic-bags-into-sleeping-mats-ap ril-2026/ SUMMARY:Transform Plastic Bags into Sleeping Mats with Mercy Mats of West A llis DESCRIPTION:REGISTER HERE\nHelp our neighbors struggling with housing insec urity and help the environment at the same time! Keep plastic grocery bags out of the landfill by converting them into a plastic yarn called “plar n” used by Mercy Mats of West Allis to crochet cushy sleeping mats\, whi ch will be distributed by Repairers of the Breach - Milwaukee’s only day time homeless resource center.\nIt takes 500-700 plastic bags and about 12 0 hours to make one 3x6 foot sleeping mat! Last year\, Mercy Mats West All is completed and delivered 232 mats. But\, don’t worry! We are only aski ng you to spend a couple hours converting the bags into “plarn.” This is a great project for the whole family!\nThe mats are lightweight\, porta ble\, easy to clean\, and offer a great barrier between the ground and the body to help retain body heat while sleeping outdoors. Staying warm can b e the difference between life and death in Wisconsin’s climate. They are also frequently used at warming shelters.\n\nActivities\nWe’ll teach yo u everything you need to know about folding\, cutting\, and knotting plast ic bags together. There is a job for everyone! The youngest kids can flatt en the bags out\, fold them\, and roll the plarn into balls. Slightly olde r kids can connect the loops and the older kids can do the cutting!\n\nImp act\nChildren will see firsthand how to reuse trash and turn it into somet hing useful! They will also learn teamwork skills as they work together as a family towards a common goal. The finished mats are a huge support to i ndividuals struggling with housing insecurity and the programs that are wo rking to help them secure stable housing.\n\nWhen &\; Where\nWednesday\ , April 29 from 4-5:30 p.m.\nWest Allis Library - Constitution Room\n7421 W National Ave\nWest Allis\, WI 53214\n**If you cannot stay the entire tim e\, no problem! Just send an email to katie@kicmke.org and let me know whe n you will be able to arrive!\nRegistration Information\nParticipant Cap: 12 volunteers\nAge: All ages welcome!\nCost: Free\nMaterials: Bring some p lastic grocery bags with you! Collect and bring plastic bags from your own grocery runs and from friends and neighbors (must be clean and smoke-free ) and/or pick up additional plastic bags from one of the bins at your near est grocery store. Just note that thicker Sendiks-style bags cannot be use d.\nQuestions: Please contact katie@kicmke.org with any questions.\nCancel lations: We count on our registered volunteers to make these projects come to life. However\, we understand illness and emergencies do come up so if you can no longer participate\, please email katie@kicmke.org ASAP so we can fill your spot.\n\nOur Partner\nSince 2016 Mercy Mats West Allis has m ade 800+ mats keeping 560\,000 plastic bags out of landfills! Learn more a bout Mercy Mats from this Fox6 segment and on their Facebook page. ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kicmke.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Me rcy-Mats.png CATEGORIES:Housing Insecurity END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR