Educare Peer Support Group
Our Educare Peer Support Circle began in fall 2022 in partnership with Educare, with early support from Catholic Social Services and continued collaboration with the Asian Community & Cultural Center. The program was led by ECHO staff alongside staff from the Asian Center.
The Peer Support Circle created a consistent space for mothers of Educare children and other New American women to gather, connect, and support one another. Through shared conversation and creative work, participants built relationships while navigating the challenges of raising families in a new environment.
Women engaged in hands-on activities alongside discussion, allowing space for both expression and connection in a setting that felt familiar and welcoming. This program concluded in May 2026.
Quilt Project with the Lincoln Quilters Guild
In the spring of 2020, ECHO Collective was awarded a scholarship from the Lincoln Quilters Guild to unite refugee and immigrant seamstresses with local quiltmakers. This launched a beautiful partnership between guild members and ECHO women. We are especially grateful for the guidance and mentorship of these volunteer instructors: Vicky Skuodas, Jerry Lee Jensen, and Pam Wakeman.
Bead Weaving Project
In 2021, we launched a bead weaving class in partnership with the Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Special thanks go to Dr. Claire Nicholas for her role in the creation of this program and Venn Jemkur for her weaving expertise and continued instruction. We held Mother & Daughter Beading circles in the summers of 2022 and 2023.
