In Bethesda, Maryland, a Super Awesome Kid™, 16-year-old Henry Sowells, is keeping busy with a brand-new hobby that lets him donate his proceeds to charity.
According to the Washington Post, when Henry Sowells’ high school shut down in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he started a six-week online woodworking tutorial hosted by “Weekend Woodworker” Steve Ramsey. At the same time, Henry learned how millions of American students rely on schools to provide free and reduced-priced meals, and how pandemic has made it more challenging for food-insecure families to get the nutritious food they need.
Photos of Henry Sowells at work and his finished small bench are from Woodworking for Food.
When his planned summer internship was cancelled, Henry decided to use his new woodworking skills and his desire to help his community to raise money for Bethesda Cares, an outreach program for the homeless with a mission “to help the homeless and persons in need in the community and to help prevent impending homelessness in Montgomery County.” With the help of his dad’s “fancy website” skills, Woodworking for Food became a reality.
The website features each of the projects that can be ordered (puzzle, crate, patio table, stool, paper tray and weight, and raised [plant] bed), each priced between $20 and $100. The cost breakdown for each item includes the cost of supplies and how much will be donated to Bethesda Cares (30-75% of the purchase price goes to the charity). Customers can choose any color of paint or stain and finish with interior or exterior lacquer or leave the premium, kiln-dried, sustainable pine wood natural.
Henry has already raised hundreds of dollars for Bethesda Cares, and his pre-orders will keep him busy into August. Depending on what the fall school year has in store for the rising junior, he hopes to keep building and selling woodworking projects at least through the end of the year.
As of now, Henry’s website only offers free delivery to Bethesda, but who knows how far this ambitious, talented young man will take his woodworking in the future?
Super Awesome™ Links!
- Visit Woodworking for Food (henrysowells.com) to find out more or to purchase an item made by Henry.
- Donate directly to Bethesda Cares (bethesdacares.org) to support families in need in Bethesda, MD.
- Read more about Henry in the Washington Post, A Maryland teen picked up woodworking during the shutdown. Now he sells his pieces to help the homeless. (by Teddy Amenabar)
- Watch the Fox5 Washington DC (fox5dc.com) interview with Henry.
- Learn to woodwork using the same six-week online course as Henry at The Weekend Woodworker.
- Watch Steve Ramsey’s other YouTube tutorials at Woodworking for Mere Mortals.