"One shirt can provide 20 meals" - All Together International sold t-shirts globally to help vulnerable individuals

All Together International is a fundraiser with a simple premise: “buy a t-shirt, join a global community, feed 20 people who really need it.” The fundraiser was started by Anne Leathers and Stefanie Sebald, who, after being laid off and furloughed due to COVID-19 safeguarding measures, found their priorities had vastly changed. They soon realised that “food, shelter and community support needed to be our focus”. 

It might come as little surprise that this initiative was started by two individuals living in London during lockdown; the UK (and London in particular) has been one of the hardest-hit countries in the world. While the UK government has provided housing for some rough sleepers, there have been numerous reports that these shelters may become the source of an outbreak of the virus, given the crowded conditions and sharing of living facilities. It was particularly important to Leathers and Sebald to focus on helping the most vulnerable during the lockdown given their own personal experiences. “Anne holds the movement very close to the chest as her oldest brother decided to live on the streets nearly 20 years ago, living only off what has been given to him by others.” 

All Together International works with three non-profits: Under One Sky, The Felix Project, and Meals on Weals. All Together has designed shirts which are sold on their online website: 100% of the profits from the purchase of one shirt will go to providing 20 meals for individuals in need. So far, All Together International has sold just under 150 shirts, with another 40 individuals choosing to simply donate. This has allowed them to provide 3000 meals for individuals in need. In buying and wearing a shirt, you will be directly able to help some of the most vulnerable in this pandemic.

Leathers and Sebald chose to sell shirts in particular, rather than simply asking for donations, to create a sense of community amongst those who wore them. They are a “metaphoric uniform”, in Leather and Sebald’s own words, and are to “help inspire that we as a team of 7 billion are all in this together”. The simple and colourful design of the t-shirt has its own message: “We kept seeing the rainbows drawn by children in the windows in our neighbourhoods throughout London, and realized immediately this was an expression of hope. After coming up with the name, we reached out to Creative Director Bal Ahira who was able to conceptualize our idea into what you see today. The rainbow represents the symbol of unifying hope, the orange sphere is both round like the earth and warm like the community and its people.”

While All Together International started in the UK, its impact reaches far beyond that. As Leathers is American and Sebald is German, it was important for both of them to look after both their current home and their home countries. Leathers and Sebald emphasise the importance of international cooperation and learning from one another in our shared goals: “[t]he beauty of working across nations is developing better research and understanding on the struggles of one country versus another, grasping how differing government aid is or is not making an impact.” 

Leathers and Sebald are keenly aware that this may only be the beginning. They have started preparations for a two-year plan which will be able to help ease the residual effects of the pandemic. “As we volunteer with our partners we are closely monitoring the impact of Covid19 and listening to the needs of the people in the street. The way we are set up is to have the agility to work with different partners. Ongoing we want to celebrate non-profits with innovative models that can be easily expanded into other cities and countries. We are currently researching partners who support and low-income housing mental health as lockdown eases and we have a clearer picture of where social impact is needed most.” As concerns mount over the lasting social and economic impact that the global pandemic may leave in its wake, Leathers and Sebald continue to work on sustainable solutions which will identify and help those who will be the most affected.

When asked about what message Leathers and Sebald wished to send to the public through their initiative, they emphasised the power of helping your community in whatever way you can. “Whether you can afford to pay your rent and put food on your table or not, what we all need is positive reinforcement and support. The All Together t-shirt is a reminder to check in with your community, stay informed and when you can - give back.”

You can buy a t-shirt from or donate directly to All Together International here: https://www.alltogether.international/. They also regularly post updates on their Instagram: @alltogether_international