A craft project turned into a thriving business for a fifth grade student in Pompano Beach.
Jessica Nedry began weaving rubber bands together for fun, and is now making Friendly Bands to raise money for herself and charity.
The 9-year old has nimble fingers. It takes her about two minutes to weave one of the bracelets.
“She is a super crafty little girl, so we do arts and crafts all the time,” said Madeline Nedry, Jessica's mother.
It was during mom and daughter craft time that Jessica decided her wrist bands could help others.
”I saw this crafty bracelet kids were wearing and I came home and started making them in an effort to help a friend raise money for her cancer battle,” said Jessica.
”She made about a hundred of them that week, by herself, and that Saturday she sold just about every single one of them,” said Madeline Nedry.
So far, Jessica has made over 2,000 bands in all different themes. She markets them over the internet and sells them to craft or toy stores.
”We sell them and then we give 10 percent to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to help the people who have breast cancer," said Jessica. "And, Our Fallen Soldiers and Hero's Journey helps people that fought for us."
Jessica made another 1,000 for her school, Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, for a fundraising campaign that she kicked off with a pep rally.
Friendly Bands will give three-quarters of total sales to the school. Jessica is also saving her Friendly Bands profits to pay for college.
