Useful items:
CraftHope – regular craft projects for various organisations, supporting people both at home and abroad.
Knitted Knockers helps breast cancer survivors by supplying knitted prosthetic breasts.
On the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, some 40 000 people live with grinding poverty (unemployment is over 80% and the average household income is just $6000 pa) and extreme weather (winter temperatures can dip to -60F). Organisations on the reservation welcome donations of handmade clothing and craft supplies.
Little Dresses for Africa distributes dresses sewn from pillowcases to orphanages throughout Africa. Dress a girl around the world, organised by Hope 4 women international, has a similar aim, but distributes worldwide.
Comfort in a crisis
Project Linus and Binky Patrol have similar aims – giving handmade blankets and quilts to children in need of comfort – whether through illness, trauma, homelessness, or otherwise in need. Blankets can be knit, crocheted, sewn or quilted.
Compassionate Creations gives knit or crochet comfort scarves to survivors of sexual violence and abuse, offering support at an intensely painful time. Another crisis-comfort organisation is ‘don’t be afraid… I’m here bears‘ – these knit, crocheted or sewn bears are supplied to Child Protection Services to be given to children entering foster care, and providing some much-needed comfort at a traumatic and confusing time (warning – music on website!).
If you’re a teacher, youth leader, or just have a child who likes to draw, you could brighten up an elderly person’s day through ‘color a smile‘, an organisation that send out children’s cheerful drawings to care homes and meals-on-wheels programs.
Operation Write Home sends boxes of handmade cards to armed forces stationed overseas for them to write home on.
Animals
The Donkey Sanctuary has appealed for knitters to help knit toy donkeys for sale in their shop, to raise funds.
The snuggles project donates handknit small blankets for shelter animals.
