LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- As COVID-19 is continuing to spread in Arkansas, some people are looking for ways to stay indoors and stay busy.
One Little Rock woman is using her spare time to create sleeping mats for homeless people out of plastic bags.
“Everyone has them and no one knows what to do with them and they are taking up a lot of space,” said Pat Roby, Making Sleep Mats for Homeless.
Dozens of neighbors have been dropping off their plastic bags and now they’re slowly taking over Pat Roby’s home.
“I’ve got them in my bedroom, I’ve got them in my living room, I’m about to run out of room,” said Roby.
Roby has big plans for these bags.
A plan that she stitched together after her job of 30 years was cut due to COVID-19.
“When you lose your job, that’s something that crosses your mind, will you be able to keep your home,” said Roby.
Roby decided to use her new-found free time to crochet sleeping mats for people living on the streets.
“It goes on the ground, it’s plastic so it doesn’t absorb moisture so it keeps the person dry,” said Roby.
Roby said each mat will be two feet by six feet and it takes about 700 plastic bags to make one mat.
She’s been cutting, knotting, and crocheting her first mat for five days and still has a couple of feet to go.
“It’s not about perfection it’s about functionality so I keep reminding myself of that,” said Roby.
Through the tedious task, Roby said she thinks about people who don’t have a home and it makes her end goal simple.
“I would like to get as many as I can, just get as many done as I can,” said Roby.
Once the mats are finished, it will have handles and a strap so the person can roll it up and take it with them.
Roby is still working on her first mat but she hopes others will join in and help make an impact in Central Arkansas.