Sewing shirts to prevent homelessness

The Center for the Homeless is always looking for donations to keep their visitors warm and comfortable during the colder months of the year.

One Michiana man has found a way for the city's homeless to get back on their feet all by themselves.

It was a simple idea Adam Miller came up with.

Recycle fabric while helping others.

He approached a woman at the center, and then was gifted a grant from the Fellow Irish Social Hub at Notre Dame which has turned his idea into a real charity.

Miller said all it takes is one simple idea to change a life.

“I always wanted to work with individuals who are experiencing unfortunate situations,” said Miller, the founder of STTCHD.

He added a needle and thread to his master plan.

“Taking old material and transforming it into something new,” said Miller.

That is where you get “STTCHD,” a company that sells t-shirts with decorative pockets.

They are all hand-stitched by Tasha Vaughn.

“Tasha has been here since day one, she's actually done all of the shirts herself,” said Miller.

He found Vaughn at the Center for the Homeless in South Bend.

It was her home for over a year.

“Brain surgery, a divorce and a bunch of stupid decisions,” said Vaughn.

She fell on hard times and needed some extra money.

“I needed a way to purchase personal items, toiletries for my daughter and I and things like laundry, and I needed to send her on field trips, school field trips come up and you need a couple of dollars and I don't have it and I hated telling her she couldn't go,” said Vaughn.

Vaughn said a company like STTCHD is an opportunity sent from God.

“Right when you think you can't do it, wait a little bit longer and you can,” said Vaughn.

Since the opportunity has been such a success with Vaughn, Miller now wants to hire more people just like her, so they can also get back on their feet.

“You feel better when you've earned it, does that make any sense? I'm making the pockets and I'm earning the money so I'm able to take care of these things myself,” said Vaughn.

It is a feeling that is irreplaceable, and since Miller changed her life, Vaughn hopes to stitch her way into the lives of others.

“Helping other people like he's helped me,” said Vaughn.

Sttchd t-shirts can be purchased on the company's Facebook page.