Denver group that helps refugee women is in danger of closing, but you can help keep it open

DENVER — In a storage unit in Denver, beads and yarn are packed away for now, along with help for refugee women.

“I really welcome the opportunity to once again get together with these resilient, incredible strong women, and just help them thrive through the power of the creative,” said Sharon McCreary, who runs the group A Little Something.

McCreary has worked with refugees for three decades. While teaching English and citizenship classes, she noticed another need among refugee women.

“They felt very isolated,” she said. “We thought, what can we do as a self-esteem building exercise to help these women see that they do have value here, and they do have something to contribute?”

That’s how McCreary launched A Little Something almost 15 years ago.

At first, they taught jewelry making, and eventually expanded to other crafts like weaving and knitting. They sell their creations at Rivers and Roads Coffee in Denver.

“The women kept referring other women, and our program grew, and we incorporated, and we eventually were able to rent a studio,” McCreary said. “It really helped build a sense of community for the women, because it was their space. And then the pandemic hit.”

A Little Something lost its studio space in 2020 and moved its supplies into the storage unit. Three years later, they still can’t afford a studio, and they may not be able to keep the storage unit either.

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