About Us
The Dorcas Society of Reedy Point is a faith-based group of living historians interpreting the history of American female charity work.
Our mission is to preserve the legacy of women’s creative contributions to their communities through living history and community service.
By bringing to life the stories of ordinary women who found creative ways to faithfully serve others, we inspire women and girls to become changemakers in their own communities.
Learn more about what we do and why we do it below. Interested in learning more? Head over to our Get Involved page!
Frequently Asked Questions
Historically, a Dorcas society is a group of women who sew together for charitable purposes. Their name comes from Dorcas, a woman in the book of Acts in the Bible, who made clothing for those in need and “was full of good works and acts of charity” (Acts 9:36).
Dorcas societies, also known as sewing societies, were one of many types of charity organizations common during the 1800s in both small towns and big cities throughout the United States. While their numbers declined during the 20th century, some still exist today.
In the early 1800s, Dorcas societies organized to provide material aid to people in need, especially during the harsh winter months. They collected donations of old clothing, bedding, and textiles from their neighbors, mended and sewed garments, and distributed resources to those in need.
As industrialization and welfare support evolved, many Dorcas societies focused on fundraising for charitable causes, such as abolition, missions work, soldiers’ aid, orphanages, and church projects. Their members hosted events, including fundraising “fancy fairs,” where they sold items that they made or had been donated.
Most 19th century Dorcas societies were made up of white middle class women, though Black and white churches both had Dorcas societies that organized similar events. Girls may have joined regular society meetings, while some had their own “Junior Dorcas” groups. Societies were usually connected with churches but were independent of one another. They varied in size, affluence, structure, and impact.
19th century Dorcas societies and their members often fell short of their ideals. Some were known more for their gossip than for good works. Their material aid to missionary communities projected Western cultural ideals. Their charitable sewing put them at odds with poor needlewomen struggling to earn a living. The history of charity is complicated, and we consistently seek to learn from the past.
Dorcas societies provided both financial and material support for their charitable causes. They also created community for their members. While women have always gathered together to sew, Dorcas societies provided an organized platform for them to use their sewing skills to effect change. Membership gave ordinary women a way to make a difference at a time when most women did not have a public voice. The “Dorcases” also had opportunities for collaboration, intergenerational mentorship, leadership development, creativity, and spiritual growth.
By bringing to life the history of female charity work, we educate others about the impact that women of the past had on their communities, the skills that they used to make a difference, and how we can continue to use those skills to serve others.
How we accomplish our mission:
Programs and Workshops
We offer educational programs, interactive workshops, and historical presentations.
Community Projects
We teach basic sewings skills and invite the public to help us make quilts for children in need. Our quilts are donated to Project Linus.
Living History
We bring the past to life to share the stories of the faithful women who have gone before us.
Friendship
As our members learn, serve, and grow in community with one another, friendships are built to last a lifetime!
Our Story
The Dorcas Society of Reedy Point (DSRP) was founded in 2021 by two friends looking for a meaningful way to sew, share history, help others, build community, and serve Christ. A Dorcas society was the historical solution. Dorcas societies were one of many types of charitable organizations that flourished during the 19th century. At a time when few women had a public voice, their members made a collective impact by sewing for charitable causes. DSRP adopted some of their key characteristics to create an intergenerational and service-oriented living history community focused on the history of women’s charity work.
From the beginning, DSRP has been committed to providing researched and authentic historical interpretation while cultivating a caring and supportive community of members through mentoring, skill-building, and collaboration. The group has members from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We bring programs and workshops to historic sites, museums, churches, schools, community groups, and other organizations in the mid-Atlantic region. Our programs use the stories of the “Dorcases” of the past to inspire women and girls to become changemakers in their own communities.