Crocheting for Charity
The benefits of crochet are many: it’s calming and proven to lower blood pressure, provides instant gratification, keeps our fingers busy and away from the cookie jar, and gives us a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. Crochet creates friendship when we stitch with like-minded people. Medical research shows it has positive effects on the brain, which can lead to benefits for other parts of our bodies. In times of stress, it keeps our minds focused on a task and gives us a wonderful way to express our creativity. And it gives us a feeling of well-being when we finish a project. Crocheting for charitable causes is a great way to engage all these benefits while helping someone in need. Use up leftover yarn in your stash or that ball that didn’t work for the intended project. Many of us “inherit” yarn from friends or relatives who can no longer use their yarn, but it doesn’t quite suit our taste. Take that yarn and create a piece that will benefit someone in need! Know that you, just you, can make a difference with your charitable crochet donation. Whether you make one piece or 100, you are impacting someone’s life. You’ve given of yourself, without a thought of compensation or recognition, and made someone in need warmer, cozier, healthier or appreciated. Think of how little time it takes to work up preemie hats, cotton washcloths, or short scarves—you can make them as you commute to work, while you watch TV or sit in a waiting room. Toss your leftover yarn in a designated charity tote bag and grab it when there are a few minutes to fill. You’ll have a pile of donations in no time. And there’s strength in numbers: if your house of worship or community group doesn’t have a yarn group, start one with the intent of crocheting for charities. Or create your own “giving” event. In 2009, part of my son’s National Guard unit was deployed to Afghanistan. I asked yarn friends to give handmade hats, scarves, mittens and helmet liners as thank-you gifts to the service men and woman going overseas. My appeal spread across the United States and was met with an amazing response: 225 pieces were donated, enough for the service members and their families too. So now that you’re motivated, what should you make and for whom? Here’s a not-so-short and incomplete list: newborn babies, especially preemies, need hats and maternity wards will distribute clothing and blankets to new parents; homeless shelters, VA hospitals and nursing homes accept afghans; animal shelters appreciate large, thick, square and rectangular blankets to line the bottoms of cages; cancer patients wear chemo caps; and military service men and women appreciate anything from home. There are organizations that distribute red scarves to women with heart disease, provide at-risk and homeless teens with warm hats, gloves and scarves, and send comforting blankets to children in need. Animal rescue groups often need thick, washable crocheted nests for birds and other small animals that are in treatment or recovering from illness. The list of who needs what is long. So how do you find a charity? That’s easy: search the internet, talk to your crochet guild or like-minded friends, or contact your church, synagogue, mosque or community center for referrals to organizations and groups that will accept your donation. Contact a local hospital. Many hospitals have departments of community outreach, development and/or public affairs; one of these should be able to advise you on donation guidelines regarding what to make and for whom. College sororities and fraternities often have philanthropic goals and may be happy to accept your handmade toys and other items. Type “crochet for charity” into an internet search box and you’ll see hundreds of listings. I’ll make it easy: start with Crochet Guild of America’s charity page (www.crochet.org/ charity) or Starting Chain’s list at startingchain.com/10-charities-that-needcrocheted-items. (Remember: CGOA and Starting Chain do not endorse any group on their list and it is your responsibility to research the information these sites provide.) Pick an organization and read their website carefully. For example, Warm Up America! accepts 7-inch x 9-inch knitted or crocheted sections, finished afghans and accessories. As of this writing, its Current Needs page lists a hospital, shelter and school district that need blankets. Size and yarn recommendations and the addresses where you send your donations are posted. Note that size matters as well as choice of yarn (most organizations request only washable yarns). Operation Gratitude, which accepts hats, scarves and cool-tie neck pieces for military service men and women, offers patterns, notes to recipients and tax deduction information. If you bought yarn for your project, the cost is a charitable contribution if you have a letter from the charity acknowledging your donation. All sites have
contact information so when in doubt about what to give, just ask! Local crochet guilds usually make crocheting for charity a top priority in their projects for members. The New York City Crochet Guild has contributed thousands of pieces to local and national programs such as WomenHeart Heart Scarves Program, Safe Horizon, ASPCA, National Council of Jewish Women, Project Linus and Halos of Hope, to name a few. Talk to the charity chairperson of your local guild or contact any guild; you don’t have to be a member to donate. Give your time and talent to make someone’s life better and the warmth and goodwill you create will be endless!