It’s the season of giving, and that has helping others on many people’s minds. But one Naperville middle school student is giving what she can all year long.
Sophia Martinez says two years ago she thought about using her passion for sewing to make a profit.
“Well, when I was about 11 I wanted to sell pajama pants to children at my lunch table,” she said.
But that idea quickly changed.
“So I came home and told my parents, and they were like ‘How about you start a charity and give them to children in need?’ So it kind of developed from there,” Sophia said.
Sophia began her own charity called P’Jammerz and started donating her pants and a new t-shirt to shelters like DuPage Pads for kids in need.
“I do this because I just feel like there’s a lot of things that we have and a lot of things that children don’t have. We’re always like, ‘Oh, I need this iPhone 7.’ You know? And children are just like, ‘I need a new t-shirt,’” Sophia explained.
Now the operation has expanded to include two helpers – her little brothers.
But not everyone enjoys the sewing.
“I like building stuff for her like those cabinets,” said 11-year-old Leo Martinez.
“I always just pass around these pins, and I also just take them out, and then I nicely just give to her, and then she starts putting them on. I don’t know where she puts them on because I don’t really pay attention,” said 7-year-old Oliver Martinez.
But they all love to help.
“For me it’s just like almost overwhelming to see the joy on the children’s faces when they receive their pants, and it makes me feel so nice, you know, just to be able to have this gift and be able to use it for good,” said Sophia.
Sophia hopes to continue using her gift to give to others by adding pajamas for adults soon.
Sophia’s next delivery is scheduled to go to DuPage Pads just before Christmas.
Naperville News 17’s Beth Bria reports.
