Knitting for Charity: Where to Donate Your Hand-Knit Goods
One thing that I've noticed in the knitting community is that many people would like to knit for charity but don't always know how. Where to donate? What to donate?
I wanted to answer some of these questions by putting together a list of charities and organizations in search of hand-knit or crocheted items.
In this post I will share ways to donate to charities that I have came across. If you have a special interest in knitting for children or babies you can access that list here. Or if you have an interest in animals you can view that post here.
Knitted Knockers are soft, handmade, removable prosthetics worn in the bra that can be customized to any size. This organization aims to connect volunteer knitters with breast cancer survivors or any women who has undergone mastectomies or other procedures to their breasts.
"Together we can in a simple, loving way bring a smile to women at a low point in their life."
Awesome Breastforms is another charity aiming to connect volunteer knitters with women in need of removable prosthetics. This organizations even designs prosthetics that can be worn while swimming!
Warm Up American began with the idea to quickly work up small sections and join together to create afghans for neighbors in need. Today, Warm Up America distributes everything from afghans to preemie hats. View their current needs on their website.
The Warm Hands Network connects volunteer knitters and crocheters with Northern communities to provide clothing to children in remote locations. The goal is not only to provide children with warm hand-knit clothing throughout the winter but also to convey the message that others wish them well.
The mission of Knots of Love is to warms the hearts and heads of children, women, men, and veterans going through chemo. Since 2007, 385,435 beanies and blankets have been distributed.
This charity aims to provide orphaned and abandoned children in Africa with blankets, hats, vests, and pullovers. Volunteers can send in 8x8 squares which are then combined to make blankets to support the children's charities working to provide for their basic human needs.
Bundles of Love works to help Minnesota families in need by providing handmade items to newborns. They aim to create a world where every newborn has access to the basics.
Based in Connecticut, Knitting and Giving provides donated hand-knit or crocheted items to hospitals, homeless shelters, and more. They give both locally and abroad. Current calls for items can be found on their website.
Care to Knit is an organization whose mission is to provide hand knit and crocheted items such as scarves, lap shawls, hats and other related accessories to those in shelters, hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.
This volunteer program aims to provide mariners with hand knit or crocheted items to keep them warm while they are away. Each item is sent to them along with other necessities such as a toothbrush, hand lotion, and lip balm to help provide for them during the long stretches as sea.
This UK based charity began by knitting clothing for street children and orphans in India and Rwanda. Since its beginning, this charity has grown to donate hand knit items to over eighty outlets including hospitals, to refugees, prisons, community groups, and hospice care.
Yarns of hope provides anyone looking to help cancer patients with a tangible and practical way to show love and hope. This includes chemo caps, prayer shawls, lap throws, scarves, etc. which will be donated to the local cancer centers, the Beacon of Hope Cancer Ministry or to anyone in need of hope and comfort while fighting cancer.
Delaware Head Huggers makes caps for patients who have lost their hair through chemo, brain surgeries, and burns.
"Making a difference, one hat at a time, with hugs, hope and love."
Care Wear works to provide handmade items to hospitalized infants and children. Their website includes both patterns and hospitals seeking donations.
Binky Patrol sews, knits, quilts, and crochets blankets for children and teens who are sick, in hospitals, in foster care, in shelters, abused, homeless, or experiencing trauma. Blinky Patrol hops to provide some comfort during these trying times.
The goal of Kozy Kovers for Kids is to give a new handmade blanket to children who enter the foster care system and to any child that is in crisis.
Actress Erin Cummings began this organization when she was inspired by someone giving a pair of mittens to a child in need. This organization distributes through partner charities in Detroit.
Bristol Knititiative is a social sustainability project located in Bristol, United Kingdom. Their mission is to empower people who care to support their local homeless community outside of economic constraints.
Give your time, not your money, and let's help the homeless keep warm!
After the loss of her son, Rosemary Chapman began this is charity to raise awareness of heart disease. All proceeds from the kits are sent to the Genesis Heart Instutitute for cholesterol and stress testing treatment.
The mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers." Since 1995, over 6 million blankets have been delivered.
Based in Massachusetts, this organization aims to help people help their neighbors in need. Warmer Winters works with area charities to distribute the new, hand-crafted hats, mittens, scarves, and sweaters to people in need.
Started by a mother in memory of her daughter who passed away at 9 months old, this charity donates items to babies in the NICU.
This charity provides free clothing and memory items for babies gone too soon in the UK.
This organization sends care packages to active, retired, and wounded United States military. They are in need of knit items as well as basic necessities and anything that would be great to receive in a care package.
This charity provides knit items for children throughout the United States.
"Knit for Kids is a nationwide program that unites thousands of volunteer knitters to fight poverty with our knitting needles."
Wrapped in Hugs offers handmade wraps to families of organ donors. The intention in offering these wraps is to make our donor families feel wrapped in gratitude and love, and to honor the gift their loved one has given another.
Feel Better Friends are handmade dolls stuffed with love and well wishes, crafted by volunteers and donated to children battling cancer and other illnesses. These dolls are custom made for the child and can even be made to have a matching wig or resemble the child.
Started by a mother to honor her son Robby who was born at 23 weeks and died shortly after birth, this organization sends hats and blankets to babies born prematurely that will not survive.
This list is by no means comprehensive but is meant to introduce crafters to new charities and organizations accepting handmade items. Local shelters, hospitals, hospice centers, nursing homes, and churches are all others ways you can get involved.
I hope this list has brought you some joy and introduced you to a new charity or two.
