Charity of themonth
Each issue we find out more about one of the good causes you could help out with your knitting…
Sandy McDonald, Co-founder
Charity Knit-a-square
Established 2008
How did your charity start? When my Aunt Ronda came to visit me and my family in Australia from South Africa she told us that she kept blankets in her car to hand out to children she found alone on the side of the road at night. We were appalled at the concept, and discovered that there were more than 20 million children who had been made vulnerable as a result of losing their parents to HIV, AIDS and poverty. I had the idea to start a website, www.knit-a-square. com, that would appeal to knitters around the world to knit squares, so that my aunt could make blankets rather than buy them.
How did your idea grow? Lion Brand found the site and featured us on their website which exploded our campaign into a worldwide community. Today this community runs Knit-a-square and supports my aunt and her volunteers. They have received over two million squares and wrapped blankets around the shoulders of nearly half a million children. Each child is told they are loved and important.
How can we help? The organisation is entirely voluntary, but needs funds to keep the KasBarn open where the squares are stored, sorted and distributed. It is an enormous operation! If Simply Knitting readers would like to join the KasClan, they can do so by following our facebook page (www.facebook.com/ knit-a-square) or joining the warm, friendly and free forum, where all their questions about squares, packaging and posting will be answered (www.forumknit-a-square.com). In addition, participants receive regular updates through KasSnippets, from which many knitters recognise their squares in the blankets.
Where can we send squares? Knit-a-square South Africa, Pvt Bag X900, PO Byranston, Gauteng, South Africa
Contact details Email us at ronda@knit-a-square.com or call 082 655 5150.
“The more hands, the more squares, the more blankets, the more children will be warmed and comforted by the love sewn into their very own, unique, hand-made blanket.”