Crocheting and knitting is a lot of fun. You can take the most boring color of yarn and create a beautiful handmade item. These items make great gifts and products to sell, but did you know that you could also make items to donate to charity? By making an item for charity, you are not only improving your skills but you are also helping someone in need.
This post will go over 12 places that you can donate handmade items. In many cases, you can also donate money to these charities in addition to the handmade items. It is important to donate throughout the year if possible. Around the holidays, many charities receive a lot of donations, but during the summer or after the holidays the number of donations decreases significantly.
National Organizations
There are several national organizations that collect donations of crocheted and knitted items. These organizations help a variety of different people ranging from little kids with cancer to the homeless to active military and veterans. So it is fairly easy to pick an organization that is related to your particular passion. Here is a couple of national organizations that collect donations.
Project Linus
Project Linus is an organization that provides blankets to kids who are having a rough time. There are chapters in all 50 states. The blankets that the chapter collects are given to kids around the areas at hospitals, shelters, and social service agencies. Since 1995, over 7 million blankets have been given to children all around the US. This organization also has a list of blanket patterns that are free to use. The list contains not only crochet and knitting patterns but also quilting and sewing patterns. To find a local chapter or to learn more visit: http://www.projectlinus.org/.
Knots of Love and Crochet for Cancer
So these two organizations are very similar. Both organizations provide free hats for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Both organizations have patterns on their website that can be used to make hats. However, you are not limited to just these patterns, but they can be a good starting point.
Knots of Love not only provides hats for cancer patients but also blankets for newborn babies. This organization serves 544 hospitals in all 50 states. Since forming in 2007, over 400,000 hats and blankets have been donated. For more information, please visit http://www.knotsoflove.org/.
Crochet for Cancer is a Christian organization that has chapters in 33 states, Canada, and Australia. This organization also accepts donations of handmade teddy bears, blankets, scarves, and other items that can provide comfort to a person undergoing chemotherapy. For more information, please visit http://www.crochetforcancer.org/.
Knit Your Bit
Knit Your Bit is a community outreach program at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. This program provides veterans with handmade scarves. These scarves are handed out at veteran hospitals, veteran centers, and service organization around the country. These scarves can be knitted or crocheted in gender neutral or patriotic colors. Since 2006, over 50,000 scarves have been delivered to veterans around the country. For more information, please visit https://www.nationalww2museum.org/programs/knit-your-bit.
Warm Up America
Warm Up America is an organization that provides knitted or crocheted blankets to those in need. Some places where these blankets can be distributed include homeless shelters, women’s shelters, veteran centers, hospice, children’s hospitals, AIDS centers, and daycare centers.
What is cool about this organization is in addition to donating finished blankets and scarves, you can also donate 7″x9″ block. If you make an entire blanket, then you can use any type of stitch and make it as big as you want. There is a list of patterns that you can use to make the 7″x9″ blocks for crochet and knitting. With the blocks being smaller, you can use these blocks to learn how to do different stitches. For more information, please visit http://www.warmupamerica.org/.
Operation Gratitude
Operation Gratitude is an organization that sends care packages to military members during the cold months. Handmade scarves and hats can be donated. The scarves and hats can be made in any color, but it is suggested that the colors are more on the subtle side like blue, green, brown, grey, or maroon. This way they can be given to a male or female. For more information, please visit https://www.operationgratitude.com/.
Local Donations
There are also ways that you can donate around your local community if so choose. Like with the national organization, you can find local groups that are related to your passion. In many cases, it is best to contact these charities and centers to determine their current needs.
Nursing Homes and Hospices
Nursing homes and hospices in your local community are great places to donate crochet and knitted blankets. It is best to contact the nursing home or hospice before donating to see what exactly they need. Many times they are looking for lapghans that can use used with a wheelchair. Our September CraftEaze crochet box is an example of a lapghan that can be donated to a nursing home or hospice.
Homeless Shelters and Women’s Shelters
You can also donate blankets that you crocheted or knitted to your local homeless or women’s shelters. Like with the nursing home, you should contact the shelter before donating to see what they are needing. This way you can help provide the shelter with exactly what they need.
Local Children’s Hospital
You can also make baby items for your local children’s hospital if you don’t really have the patience or time to make an adult size blanket. Many times the local neonatal intensive care is needing hats or booties for the newborns. One of the hospitals near me (Akron Children’s Hospital) even has crochet and knit patterns for hats and booties you can make to donate. Be sure to check with your local hospital to see if there are restrictions on colors or types of yarn and how to donate items.
Pregnancy Centers
Pregnancy centers are also a good place to donate handmade baby blankets and receiving blankets. These centers provide expecting mothers with items they will need once a baby is born. If you are interested in donating to a local pregnancy center, you should contact the center to see what exactly they are needing at this moment.
Happy Crafting!
Jamie