Charity Donation Tips and Guidelines | Knit, Crochet & MORE!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2018
- Crafting for Charity? Here are some tips you should know!
Suggestions for Donating Knit/Crochet Projects
1. Comprehensive list with LOTS of links from the Charity Knitting Group on Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/groups/charit...
2. The Magic Yarn Project: themagicyarnproject.com/
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Thank you for this video! Anyone looking for a local charity to support should check out justserve.org . Charities post what kind of help/services they need on there. You put in your zip code and how many miles from that zip code you want to look for charity opportunities. I found a couple that specifically asked for hand made blankets, scarvers, gloves and hats, one was for seniors and the other was for homeless youth. There were a couple of charities that were looking for other services but I'm going to email and ask if they also could use handmade items. Thanks again for all the tips. I love how big your heart is!
Thank you, Aleryan! I didn't know about that site! However, I just checked it out and nothing came up regarding knitting, crochet, crafts within 30 mile radius of my city BUT I kept playing with the search criteria and I can get a few results. ("blankets" "hats" "mittens" etc.) I'm pinning your comment with this super resource!
aleryan I went on the website and it didn’t work at all, there’s no places within a 75 mile radius of me regarding knitting, crocheting, animals, or crafts
For crochet… octopus for a preemie - US. It’s a Facebook group. Very specific instructions and yarn requirements. The octopi are put in incubators with babies who are connected to lots of lines. Their little hands will wrap around the octopus tentacles rather than the medical lines that they have a tendency to want to pull out.
So sweet!
Great video and tips Margaret! Thank you for sharing it!
Thank you for putting this video together. I have watched many of your videos about making hats for charity, and the information you have shared has given me some good advice for knitting and crocheting items to give away. Those old stained T-shirt’s might be good for making T-shirt yarn, but you’re right...no one wants to wear them. Old stained T-shirt’s are great for staining wood furniture, and best part is, they are already pre-stained. 😂
Thank you for sharing the donating tips. I have a tip: Amazon has a program called GiveBackBox. If you need to mail your donations they will pay the shipping cost, it's definitely worth looking into.
Actually, it's more than just Amazon and it's a SUPER idea! However, we can't choose our charities and the contents are sold by the charities to fund their programs. (Goodwill is a major recipient.) When you use a GiveBackBox label, it's shipped to the nearest participating charity. While this is is a genius idea on several levels, it doesn't give our handmade items directly to the needy for free as I was sort of focusing on. But it IS a great option so thanks for mentioning it, Christy!
Christy Gabany do you think they still do this? At the end of the year I want to ship off blankets and toys that I made for animals in shelters
I make scarves for Special Olympics. They are given to the athletes at the winter games. I also make preemie hats for Warm Up America. Thanks for mentioning Knitted Knockers! I have made 2 sets of them also.
Thank you for taking the time to make this very informative video.. so far I've been donating lap blankets and hats to nursing homes.. I make knitted and crocheted toys for the emergency room plus I've made items to be sold at church fairs that helps the church support their schools.
This was a fantastic video, thank you so much!! I like to donate to my local homeless shelters and to family violence. Also some headstart programs appreciate hats and mittens and such for the young children who attend. I make a lot of simple basic slippers for my shelter. They especially appreciate those as it gives the people something warm to put on their feet while they are inside.
Excellent suggestions, Gail! Thanks!
So thoughtful Margaret, there are so many people in need right in your own backyard. Hope you’re feeling better.
So true. Great need all around us.... ... everyday.
Thank you so much for that!! I donate to our local pregnancy center and their absolute rule is NO BUTTONS OR SNAPS on the sweaters for newborns! I also use hypoallergenic laundry detergent and fabric softener that I keep just for my charity items. Once they are dried and looking nice I place them in large ziplock bags to keep them nice until I have a slew of items to bring.I love what I do and now you have me considering branching out! Maybe lap blankets for our local nursing home? Mmmmm. I am also going to check out some of the sites you listed. Thank you again for your inspiration!
Excellent suggestions, Elaine! Thank you!
Interesting. When I had a newborn I preferred clothing with buttons and snaps because I hated putting things on over her head. I did it if I had to, but my husband absolutely was not comfortable doing so.
Thanks so much for doing this video. All that you said was really good info that we all need to know. I been wanting to make stuff for charities for a long time so this was really nice to see. Thanks again!
You're so welcome, Ray!
Awesome video!!! Very informative!! Thank you for taking the time to make this video😊
Thanks, Kim! You're so welcome!
Thank you Margaret for sharing the link to this video with me. I came across your channel yesterday and I’m already interested! I think this video is wonderful.
Glad you liked it! There's lots to think about when knitting/crocheting for charity.
Thanks for all your information, and the benefit of all your experience in charity knitting and crocheting.
I saw your cat wander into your lap, we have one almost identical to yours. She's a well spoiled babydoll.
You're very welcome, and yes... that's Cozy! She's the snuggliest snuggler!
PERFECT. Much needed information!!!!!
Thanks, Roblyn!
Margaret you are a miracle worker !Your angel wings are hidden out of sight!
Oh poo. No angel wings here. If I had 'em, I'd probably just trip over 'em. I'm far from angel status!
Thanks for all the tips on crocheting for charity... I love to crochet and this is perfect so my house isn't overrun by crocheted items for me and my family. I'm looking for local charities that need handmade items - I have two on my list so far... and hope to get information on a third one. I've been reviewing your hat videos and plan to try some hats :)
Thank you so much for this. I'm going to recommend this video to my charity group. So much information for us. Blessings!!!
Thanks, sweet Pebbles! Glad there was something there you could use!
Pebbles Walk I
Thank you so much for all this amazing content! I have been learning to knit for a yr now,, and after i graduate from my EA course this summer my greatest wish is to begin to knit for charity!
You're so welcome, Bev! EA... is that tax accountancy or something else? (My daughter and her husband are CPAs)
very informative and inspiring ms margaret.
Great information! I'm so excited to start donating!
Thanks, Rebecca! Have fun!
My dear Margaret I have been watching your videos on charity work and was trying to come up with a charity that would make me feel good. Then I saw your video on those with sensory problems. My dad died a few years back from demensia. I didn’t understand some of what he was going through. He did fidget and pick on his clothing or blanket and I now understand thanks to you. So I am going to the nursing homes and talk to them about sensory blankets. I can now pay it forward. I am also a big quilter so this would be a great pleasure for me and with every stitch I will remember my daddy.
Glad you have some charity projects lined up! Truth be told, simply doing for others, no matter the charity, is good for the soul.
Thank you for posting this Margaret! I love donating to charity and helping others helps me to move through my anxiety and hard times. I donate hats, scarves and shawls to several groups and many were found on Ravelry. There are several groups listed within Charity , Heart and Comfort and Charity Knitting on Ravelry. Look at the tabs and you can find the needs that have been listed for the year. I also donate to Christmas at Sea (has a Rav group) Operation Gratitude, Knit Aid, Knitted Knockers, Pine Ridge Reservation and Prayer Shawls for Native Elders (they are on Facebook) as well as any group that I hear about. It's amazing how a few handmade items whether knit, crochet, woven or sewn can have such a big impact on another person. Together we are stronger :-)
All great suggestions! Thanks!
This is very informative. Thank you so much!!
Glad you could use it, Irene!
Great video!!!! Love your insight and consideration.
Thank you, Leonysia! So many things to think about these days!
Thank you once again from Downunder! I'm a week into knowing you- I'm so impressed of your charity- as I first saw you, I thought yep- with my new Addi imitaion (Circular knitting plastic machine) I can do mor3 knitting in our hot humid weather..I'm stil shy of it all and searching for ideas here..and found a few thanks to you Margaret
I've lived in a hot/humid climate all my life but I've also had air conditioning all my life so summer knit and crochet has never been a problem. Our Mississippi summers are generally in the high 90s during the day with 80-90% humidity. North Texas has been slightly less humid at around 60% humidity but not this year. We've been bone-dry with temperatures reaching 112 degrees! Thankfully we've had a reprieve. We finally got rain (a whole month's worth in 1 day which caused extensive flooding in Dallas) and today's high will be only 87 with 60% humidity. I just looked up Brisbane and you'll be about 18 degrees cooler but with higher humidity! We just got back from the UK where it felt like autumn and no A/C but we didn't need it. It was lovely! Working with yarn in any medium is so safe so don't be afraid to go for it! Remember, how easy it is to just rip it out and begin again! Nothing is wasted.
I knit between 110 and 120 pair of mittens every year for the first graders at a local low income elementary school. Many of the students don’t even have winter coats and it’s frequently below zero in our area. I’ve been doing this for five years.
I also crochet lap afghans for our local veterans home and newborn hats and burial buntings for a local hospital.
I always have knitting or crocheting in my hands no matter where I am, and our family can only use so much!
I find an honor to share the blessings I’ve been given with others. Thank you for this video Margaret. It has so much helpful information in it. Blessings always, Betsy
Oh, Betsy... this is exactly the attitude we all should have with our charity work! It IS an honor to share our blessings! If only more people could see it this way, what a difference we all could make.
Thank you for all the information you have given. Making donations for those in need doesn't mean they want junk. It makes them feel as good as the rest of us to have nice things to wear. It is important for their self esteem. Being in these situations is difficult, so it's nice to want to make them excited for that which they are given. I will be looking for some organizations I live in. I live in an area where there are many in need.
Glad to hear it, Sharon!
Here in parts of Canada, volunteer groups get together to crochet plastic bags into sleeping mats for the homeless and also for churches and shelters that run out of beds but have floor space and will not turn someone out into the cold just because of lack of beds. Crocheting these mats is no small chore as it takes about 500 plastic bags to make one mat measuring 2.5 x 6 feet. These mats also keep someone dry when sleeping on rainy surfaces, still not ideal but does provide those in need with some insulation.
Excellent! Some of my earliest videos were on Plarn and making charity items. I love reuse/recycle crafts and this one is especially useful! Thanks!
This sounds like a grand idea for recycling grocery bags.😻
My kids did that in youth group here in Texas. Some cut up plastic HEB bags and some crocheted them, although I think mostly the adults did the crocheting.
Very helpful tips. Insight given I had not considered.
Thanks, Sheri. I think most of us miss this point of view unless we've had an opportunity to work on the other side!
I wanted to get into charity knitting cuz you inspired me so thanks for this vid!
You are so welcome! Have fun!
Awesome video. Thank you for the information.
Thanks, Pamela and you're so welcome!
I appreciate this so much, I love knitting but prefer simple mindless projects like blankets and since I knit for fun, I never know what to do with the finished product. Plus, I can use up all the acrylic I bought as a beginner since charities often use aggressive washing!
Thank you, Shira! Have fun!
Thank you for that, Margaret, and your helpful ideas!
I'm currently busy making items to send to Sister Mary Margaret for her fall craft fair, the need you previously shared with us.
She'll be thrilled! I was lying in bed thinking about "Christmas in July" ideas last night! I want to combine her need with Erin's craft-a-long.... thinking....
Ooh, I think I can hear the wheels turning in your head from here in Texas, Margaret, and can't wait to see what all you come up with!
You are such an inspiration!
Well, thanks, Nancy, but I'm just contributing to stuff other people have started. I've never started a foundation or anything!
This was timely find for me. I'm making hats and scarves for two different groups now, and I've always followed the guidelines you've set out here. But I also volunteer with Project Linus, and recently I've been collecting the blankets from drop-off sites (Joann's in our area) and preparing them for donation. Most of the blankets we get are wonderful, but some have many of the problems you have mentioned in this video. The two that drive me crazy are pet hair and perfume. It also drives me nuts that many donors who make fleece blankets with the cut and tied strips don't bother to trim off the selvages or to make sure the ends are tied carefully. I often have to cut off the stripped edgings and create new borders (usually by making holes and crocheting a new edging.) As you said, these are gifts to vulnerable children, and they deserve all the care we can give. Thanks for all you do.
Yes... that drives me crazy, too, Eileen. So many people have the attitude of "it's not good enough for me but someone w/o anything will appreciate it." I suppose that's true in some sense but its so arrogant to give away your messy stuff and feel good about it! I don't get it.
Hi Margaret. Such an informative video. Have a wonderful weekend and 4th of July holiday. I hope you are doing well.
Thanks, Cindy! Happy 4th to you, too!
Thank you. This was so helpful
You're very welcome, Jolene!
What an excellent video!
What a nice compliment! Thank you!
Thank you, Margaret, for this thorough information. It is so helpful. I recently joined a group called Blankets for Baby Rhinos that makes blankets not just for baby rhinos but also for elephant babies and other animals who have been abandoned due to poaching of their parents for horns, ivory, etc. Also mittens, hats, blankets are made for the families and people who care for these animals. This charity is in Africa, but there are people here in the US who are contacts for shipping the handmade items and for questions. If interested they are a group on Facebook by the name above that I mentioned. There are guidelines as well as patterns and lots of help. The people are so kind! I am working on my first blanket. My heart goes out to them.
EXCELLENT suggestion, Janda! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this video! I work in a food pantry and clothes closet, and go out into the homeless community to distribute many of these items. The junk some people donate simply beggars the imagination - used (albeit washed) stained mens' underwear, for example, or aspirin that expired 12 years previously. I always tell people that if you wouldn't eat it or wear it or give it to someone you know well, then don't donate it! On a separate note, Margaret, I just "found" you and really enjoy you, your knowledge, and your sense of humor!
I know, Jennifer.... it's just so frustrating, isn't it?! If you have any other tips I may have left out, let us here them! (And Welcome! Many thanks for the kind words, too!)
I think the key point that you hit on is to see what that particular charity needs - limited storage space is real! Also, if you have old stained t-shirts, etc., in our area Goodwill and Salvation Army will take them and make rags from them. (This may not be the same everywhere!) I will collect the bad ones from donations and take them there in a bag labeled "for rags."
Great information~~~~ I would like every thing Video you have in the future ! I'am NEW ! Thank you .OH ! I found the BELL ! And great about color's !
Thank you, Maxine! What kind words!!
Thank you so much for this video.
You're so welcome, Karin! Hope there was something in there you could use!
Very informative!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you Margaret!
Great video Margaret, I always wondered where I can get involved with my local charities but my knitting time is limited to small items lately. I recently purchased a pattern for The Mother Bear Project bears, they support the children in Africa and other emerging nations affected by hiv/aids. There’s a group on Ravelry for the project to learn more. Hope you’re doing okay in this hot weather! 😺
I've seen those cute bears! Have fun, Jenn!
I knit blankets for our local veterans administration hospital and hats, scarves and teddy bears for homeless and the local Salvation Army location. My newest project is knitting sweaters for teddy bears to be donated to the double h ranch in upstate New York a camp for children with life threatening illness. You are correct in suggesting to call ahead to check on sizes, colors, etc. I really enjoy your podcasts!
Terrific, Karen! Thanks!
Thanks for this video. Never thought to wash everything since I have severe allergies myself and am very careful to keep my yarn as clean as possible. My project this year is 100 each of scarves, hats and washcloths by the end of November. I'm using cotton for the washcloths and acrylic for the hats and scarves. The cotton will work year-round as they can be soaked to provide some relief from the heat and can dry quickly in the sun if needed. My hat and scarf patterns do have "holes" for breath-ability but I think they will still be warm enough for what passes as winter here. I'll be donating them to my local Salvation Army for distribution to the homeless. I'm in San Diego County and we have lots of homeless in San Diego City that get all the attention but no one ever thinks about the even more homeless in county!
Wow! Love the washcloth idea. You're right about the double-duty of cotton. Excellent ideas!
I did it. Finished 100 washcloths and donated them to the Salvation Army to pass out tomorrow when they go to give out toiletries and other assorted items. They were so pleased to get them!!! On to scarves and hats since our winters are milder than most :-)
Thankyou, very helpful, From South Wales, UK
Pets!! Snuggle project is one that comes to mind, but there are others as well.
Yes! I believe that one was on that master list. Have you seen the commercial where the couple adopts the sad looking dog and live happily ever after? When he's in the shelter he has a crocheted blanket on his bed!
Great video! Thanks for all the tips and resources. I have donated to Operation Gratitude which is for U.S. military service members.
Another excellent suggestion, Amy!
Thank you so much for these helpful tips! I have donated to my local women’s shelter and knitted knockers before and I’ve recently have made shawls that I would like to donate locally to Senior citizens, searching for a place. I would also like to donate some blankets to the Veteran’s hospital.
Excellent charity choices, Jayleen!
Thank you for making the point that donations (whether hand-made or hand-me-downs) are a form of GIFT, and not a way to feel good about throwing out your junk. There are too many people who think that "beggars can't be choosers" and forget that people in need are still people, still deserving of dignity. I also appreciated your metric of "would my family wear this" as opposed to "would *I* wear this," because as a kid I certainly wore (and dressed my stuffed animals in) plenty of my own questionable creations out of sheer pride that I had made something. I'm sure that impulse is less for adult beginners, but I bet it's still there. "Would I buy this" is another good metric for donations.
Very true! (And I love the image of you dressing your stuffed animals in your creations!) Thanks for adding your wisdom and experience, Amy!
Haha, my mom didn't want to buy me the expensive Build-A-Bear clothes so eventually I started making my stuffed turtle Cutie's wardrobe myself. She had a crocheted hat that I made before I understood crochet (my grandma had forgotten most of it by the time she taught me), and a knitted scarf full of loose and dropped stitches, and a shirt and skirt that I cut out freehand from cheap polyester fabric and stitched up without finishing any of the raw edges. At the time, I was so proud that I'd gotten around Mom's restriction and made Cutie's wardrobe unique, but in hindsight it's pretty funny!
Thank you I make toys and want to give them to a charity you are a lot of help thank you
Thanks, Linda!
Thank you for this I'm making blankets for animal shelters but I didn't realize all the rules x
Not everyone has rules! It's just something to be aware of. Ask your shelter if they have any guidelines before you get too far into it. If you haven't found it already, the Snuggles Project is a great resource for all that!
I donate to my foodbank every december. I'm not sure if its just my community (Canada, BC) but they do a christmas hamper for in need families. They do food, but also toys for kids, scarves, hats, and anything that would be a good christmas gift
Great info as always! A tip for cleaning smoke scent from furniture, wash with vodka. I inherited a few pieces with that problem and I tried everything to no avail till I read that tip somewhere and tried it.*Check your local hospital for some take handmade blankets and outfits for stillborns.*Ronald McDonald houses*Nursing homes (they take craft supplies as well.)*For the knitted knockers, find local breast surgeon offices some take those for their patients.*Chemo hats and blankets*Project Linus*Special Olympics*Warm up America*Octopus for preemies
Good suggestions, Dixie! Thanks!
Hi, there’s Knit for Peace in the UK. They send stuff all over. Just google the name😀
You could also check nursing homes to see if they need anything and what those items may be. Cancer treatment centers are another great option to check.
Project Linus takes blankets for babies, children, and teens in the hospital. Operation Gratitude takes crocheted and knitted scarves for deployed military, veterans, and also first responders. Operation Gratitude prefers certain colors because the scarves go in care boxes for active duty military (and the military asks for certain colors) as well as the veterans and first responders and only certain colors are accepted.
Thanks, Anna!
I have to make some for the military, would love to help them
At one point you talked about making blankets for dog shelters. I just stumbled on a free pattern for a Bernat Pet Blanket shaped in the form of a bone. It is a free pattern at Michaels website.
Sounds cute! I'll have to go look!
Awesome topic now I have a suggestion as my Daughter works in the Hospital 🏥 Emergency Department & she said to me if I can donate some large tops & or pants for people who are needy for when these people are discharged from hospital often what they arrive in is in such poor condition those things go straight to the bin & I generally buy things that are end of season super marked down truly a bargain $2.00 AU per garment & easily appreciated we live in Australia but I’m sure if you contact your local public hospital they may say yes for a small supply as they don’t have great amounts of space to store them so my Daughter keeps the ones I give in her locker & brings them out when she sees some really needy people another one is ask your local nursing home some people who live there have no family to make purchases for them so some of them have a real genuine need for clothing as you said important to ask size & material type singlets & nightgowns should have a cotton mix is better for frail skin scarf 🧣 shawls & knee rugs these folks feel the cold. I hope this helps 😁💖💖💖
Excellent info, Debra! Thank you!!
Margaret ----question: Could you recommend a good warm crocheted hat pattern? I want to make crocheted hats for our local men's shelter and for an organization that feeds and help clothe the homeless. I have been disappointed before in some of my crocheted hats because I made beanies and they seemed to stretch out to be too loose around the edge after a while. I would like to try a hat with a turned up brim so it would be extra warm around the ears. I crochet mainly in acrylic because of allergies. Also--I contacted our local Hospice about crocheting prayer shawls for them. My contact said they actually needed lapghans more, and we decided together on a size (36 x 48, approx.). I now have 12 washed and dried and individually bagged and ready to go! Thank you for all your helpful tips. Blessings to you!
Those Super Bulky Scrap Hats I do are always well-received at the shelters and they're super warm, too. th-cam.com/video/umcXgQPsF_o/w-d-xo.html
What a wonderful, informative video! Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. I want to let you and your subscibers know that I have a Facebook Group called Light and Love Crochet Swap. We ARE a Christian group, everyone is welcome, but for those who don't like a lot of Religious talk, you might be uncomfortable. We make Prayer Squares and we swap them monthly. We have special Charity Square requests that are updated weekly, for members and Organizations. We most recently helped send prayer squares for the Community of the Santa Fe High School Shooting! Several squares and entire blankets were made and donated to the surviving victims in Santa Fe, TX! We make Condolence Prayer Squares for our members friends, families and communities, when there is a loss of a loved one. But we also pray for each other every month, and while we pray we crochet a square. It could be a Granny Square, a square made of a favorite crochet stitch, whatever you like! Then we mail them to a matched partner and every month you receive a square that you know has been prayed over and it's yours to tuck in with at night, or hang on a wall where you pray, keep in your purse, or collect several prayer squares and make a prayer shawl with them or a prayer blanket. If anyone has any questions send me a message here on TH-cam, but I hope your subscribers will feel free to visit us on Facebook and join our group and get involved and learn more about what we do!.We have members World wide! Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and even Greenland! I apologize for this being so long, and if you do not want this in your comment section, please feel free to delete it. God Bless you!
Thanks, Beth! Terrific!
Thank you
You're welcome!
I Just Love The walking Sheep Dear Thanks agian Dear Aleta Sneed
Hahaha! I wish I could figure out how to make his legs move so he'd be like an animated cartoon!
Hi, Margaret, I live in Australia, and I crochet blankets for the organization "Wrap with Love".
Volunteers knit or crochet blankets 40 x 70 Inches, it can be done in one piece or normally 28 squares, 10 x 10 inch squares.
They are located in Sydney, New South Wales, and the blankets are distributed through out Australia. And also around the world through organizations like World Vision and Mission Without Borders, and the like. :)
Excellent! Thanks!
This is fantastic information, and much needed, as I am just now getting started crocheting for charity. I do have a couple of questions though...I hope you don't mind me asking. How do you package your charity items after you have finished washing, drying and blocking? Do you put each finished item into a plastic bag for storage - like a ziplock bag or something? And then, when you are ready to take them to drop off at the organization, do you take them out of those bags and put them in a box? See, I'm just confused on the best way to store the items, and whether or not each item should be packaged to drop off at the charity organization.
Any help in this area would be very much appreciated!
That's an excellent question! I put all my freshly washed items in a big garbage bag. The charities where I've donated never wanted them individually packaged because they could better help people choose the right fit. Just as with so many donation issues... it's best to ask the charity you're making them for! Of course, now that we have the pandemic to deal with, I'm not sure if guidelines will need to change in any way so we should probably ALL be checking with our favorite charities!
@@sheepishlysharing thanks so much for your response! This information is very helpful. You are right about the current situation with Covid 19. I did check with the organizations first though, and as expected they are not currently accepting donations, but will definitely need them in the future. For now, I just continue to happily crochet, knowing at some point the items will be needed.
Thank you again!
Knitting 4 Brisbane's needy is a Queensland, Australia based charity is a really good charity.
Thank you so much for all your compassionate information. Please add to your fiber section that wool and cotton are able to naturally bio-degrade and are therefore good for the environment, however, acrylics as you said are plastic and as such do not chemically degrade, but breakdown into tiny pieces of plastic which end up in the bodies of animals and when we eat them, like fish, the tiny pieces of indigestible plastic enter our bodies. Please see the video Plastic Ocean; even the movie trailer will let you know how bad plastic is to life on our planet. Love your video. Loved your video on trouble shooting magic loop -- so helpful!!!
Thank you, Leslie, for the kind words and your suggestions!
I’m thinking about crocheting scarves and ty them around town on tree’s and electric poles for the homeless. Is this a good idea?
That’s a compassionate thought but sometimes that’s not allowed depending on city regulations so you may want to check first!
Hi Margaret! I've been knitting and donating to "Crochet for Cancer" for the past few months. I'd like to spread out some. I've been looking into "Hats for the Homeless". Do you know if they have chapters like this in the mountains?
I just checked out their website ( www.hats4thehomeless.org/about.html ) and it appears they just serve from one particular soup kitchen in NYC. However, their model is easy to replicate if you'd like to! Check out their site!
Christ Child Project provides complete layettes (including blankets & hats) to newborns in need; the local Catholic church or hospital (or the website for the local diocese) will know where the nearest chapter is. Crisis pregnancy centers may want knit or crocheted baby items -- but check with the one you'd be donating to confirm what they currently need.
The charities I mostly make things for are Project Linus (afghans for infants to teenagers; non-wool yarns only; no black (too "depressing")) and Snuggles Project (pet blankets for mostly cats & dogs; no fiber or color restrictions, as long as it's machine-washable; avoid patterns with large holes (so paws & other body parts don't get stuck)). There's a local Christmas charity in which volunteers shop the wish lists of a family of children in need, and I can usually find a way to include crocheted hats, amigurumi, or even afghans in addition to what I've purchased for the family I've "adopted". And "scrubbies" are in demand at my church's charity craft bazaars, so I may try to make a bunch of those for the next one they have.
Excellent suggestions! Thanks!
UK: Project Olive Grove takes blankets for holocaust survivors in Israel. They are lovely to work with and have 'collectors' throughout the UK. Also what used to be called the Seamen's Mission (you can still Google that, but can't remember what they're currently called) they take hats and gloves and warm stuff for seamen (obviously!). There's a Freeport address to send stuff to London - I have a friendly skipper who takes mine to where they're needed. Another lovely charity to work with.
Thanks for the video, Margaret. Yarn is the biggest force for good in the world!
Excellent, Angela! Thanks!
I am a foster parent and I know that locally our DCFS and other foster agencies would take donations. Especially the DCFS main office because that's where children might have a need in between removal by an investigator and a placement coordinator finding a foster home for them. The children often come with only their clothes. Sometimes wearing one shoe or not warm enough dressed. Where I live they would especially appreciate items for teens.
Just calling the department of children and family services main number and asking about donations would be a good place to start.
Ah, yes... teens! Another under-served demographic! Thanks for your wisdom on this! The charity I used back in Mississippi provided things to DCFS as needed so it was nice to see them work together.
You talked about the knitted knockers. My sister has had double mastectomy and I called them to find out if she could get some knitted knockers. They were nice enough to send me her size and I gave them to her. The other prosthesis are very heavy and the very warm. Problem is I think maybe someone should figure out how to put some weight into the knitted ones, or crocheted ones. My sister said they ride up when you put your arms up and that can cause some problems, to say the least. Have you ever heard of anyone putting any kind of weight in them? They wouldn't have to weigh as much as the other ones but I think my sister would actually wear them if she didn't have that problem.
No but I've never heard that issue. How about some double-stick tape to attach it to the inside of the bra?
Any ideas where to donate in Germany?
Not specifically but I give you a list ideas in this video on where to begin your search.. Example: Call hospitals (cancer wards or neonatal for preemie hats), shelters, etc.
Does anyone in the community have tips for people who don't have blocking mats, or really any room to block? I have a bunch of pins, carpet and a small corkboard and that's it. I mostly work in acrylic, but still...
Shira Duke I put cling film (Saran wrap) around some sturdy carpet and block on that if it's really big or otherwise use the pins and my ironing board
Hi. My church feeds the homeless and less fortunate. The Angel Tree is an organization that gives gifts to prisoners children. The Ronald McDonald House I love the strength these young children have battling their illnesses.
Excellent suggestions, Darlene!
I will send you the info on the shipping company.
Preemies: Preemies of the Carolinas
Angel babies: Project Robby
General items: Aid for Appalachia, For the Children of Pine Ridge, Hats and More for War-Torn Syria
Margaret, I need your help. I want to crochet for charity but i can not read patterns. I wanted to crochet baby blankets for "Project Linus" but could not find a specific youtube turorial. I need a tutorial since i can not read patterns. Do you have a crochet tutorial i can use that meets a charity's guidelines? I would trust any charity you reccomend. Doesnt have to be Project Linus. Id just like to crochet for babies. Any help or direction would be appreciated. 💕
Project Linus is a great charity but off the top of my head, I don't know of an tutorials designed just for them BUT that doesn't mean there aren't any! Search TH-cam for "Project Linus Crochet" and see what comes up. Basically, you can follow any tutorial, just keep their required measurements in mind. A good tutorial will give instructions on how to adjust the size.
Oh... I didn't answer all your questions! All my projects meet one charity or another's guidelines! 1st determine your charity, then read their guidelines, then make your choice of what project to do. Ex: If it's blankets, choose their recommended yarn and learn what sizes they need. If it's hats, it's the same! All my hat tutorials show you how to properly size the hat for your (or the charity's) needs and your yarn choice will depend on the charity you choose as explained in this video! Easy!
I donate what I make to Vision Beyond Borders in Billings Montana. They are getting ready to send out a container this month to Jordan for refugees.
I live in Wisconsin where winter seems to drag on forever! Try giving your local elementary school a call. Many schools don't let kids out for recess without proper winter attire. Hats and mittens are often welcome. Not just for those is need, but for the kid who left her hat on the bus or got his mittens wet in the slush.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned motherbearproject.org or facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn/ Lily takes donations of knitted or crocheted 8 inch squares (or other items like hats, scarves, baby items). the squares are sewn together and donated to those in war torn Syria.
Excellent suggestion, Linda! Here in the south, they keep ALL the kids indoors if the temp is below a certain point. I believe the Mother Bear Project is listed in the master list I gave but I'm not sure about Lily's! Thanks for the heads up!
I know what you are talking about with the junk people donate. I have to sort through things and have to toss at least half of it. I wash everything and fold things nicely before I send it off to the Philippines. I ship in a big box and it does not matter how heavy it is its one price $75. The box is the size of large moving box.
Wow! That's a terrific price for a box that size! (I just shipped a much smaller box to the Philippines and it almost cost that much!)
You are very correct in how important it is to take care to give wanted and needed items. Some foreign countries actually charge a duty on items shipped in from other countries, so these charities must be selective what they receive. One charity your subscribers might like is Mother Bear Progect. They send bears to children who don't have toys or posessions of their own. Many of them are children born to mother with aids.motherbearproject.org/about.html
Excellent! Thanks, Angela!
Alpha Women's Center Division St. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49509
Thanks, Freeda!
The local Salvation Army runs a thrift shop as well as the homeless shelter.
Thank you but From what I understand... With a double mastectomy, the bra also rides up!
Oooo.... I see. Hmmmm... Did you address this issue with the knitted knockers people? If it's a common problem, there should be a solution!
Oops! I suppose that would be a good idea but I never even thought of it. Thank you once again for all the help you are. Keep up the good work!
This doesnt relate much to knitting but it does relate to people donating garbage. I went to volunteer at a place that supplies homeless people with food and clothes and things of the sort and i was sorting containers and there were so many bags of dirty styrofoam takeout containers and i just dont understand how people can feel good or even okay with giving another human being their garbage and acting like theyre doing them a favour it just bugs me
I agree... it's baffling, isn't it? I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and say it could have been a mistake... or they know people like us will be going through it before it reaches the intended recipient. It's still unkind but better than dumping garbage on an already-struggling fellow human. I don't get it. People are confounding mysteries!
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Thank you
You're so welcome! I'm just happy to have like-minded people like you to share this stuff with!