Project #25: West Virginia, Appalachian Outreach, Inc.

I hope you have all had a wonderful and relaxing holiday season. Now it is drawing to a close, and it is time to look forward to the new year ahead. I am excited that we begin the new year at the exact halfway mark in our 50 states journey.

WE HAVE REACHED OUR 25TH PROJECT!!! (cue the confetti and noise makers)

Beginning on January 15 and going through February 15, we will be creating items for those in need in the Appalachian region of West Virginia. We will be partnering with the Outreach to Appalachia group on Ravelry and sending baby items to Appalachian Outreach, Inc.

Appalachian Outreach is a charitable relief and support organization. The mission of Appalachian Outreach is to help relieve the burden of poverty and the loss of dignity suffered by the people of Appalachia who, through no fault of their own, struggle to meet the basic needs of daily life.

The need is great. The request is simple. This month, they need baby items of all types. Any pattern is acceptable. Sizes are to be from newborn to 2T. Yarn fiber content and color is your choice.

This means hats, booties, cuddle sacks, bibs, socks, toys, blankets, and any other layette items. Think bath time, nap time, play time, feeding time, and dressing time. If you would like pattern or specific suggestions, just email me and I will point you in a direction.
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Though our projects and our mission are about sending HANDMADE items to those in need, the need for many other items is very great in the Appalachian region. If you are able to contribute any other items on the wish list at Appalachian Outreach, Inc., I encourage you to sent them as well.

As always, please print the "Sharing Our Gifts" printable by clicking on the link at the top left and attach one to each item that you send.

Send to:
Appalachian Outreach, Inc.
1012 Grand View Road
Glen Dale WV 26038

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THESE PROJECTS! Without you, there would be less needs met in these United States of America. I look forward to another 25 states with you.

Happy Creating.!

Project #24: Connecticut, Are You Warm Enough?

This project runs from October 15 to January 15. The reason for its length is that this is a sweater/cardigan project, so the items will take longer to make, and that we are having our winter break along with this project. Mailing deadline is January 15, but you can mail as soon as your item(s) is/are finished. You decide, if, when, and how much break time you take between now and January 15. I thank you all for another stellar year spent sending warmth around the U.S.

This project is for middle school children (grades 5 through 8) in Connecticut. This school of about 650 students has the highest percentage of foster children in the state. Over seventy percent of the students receive free or reduced lunch. The “Are You Warm Enough” initiative collects clothing and money from the community and local businesses to purchase coats, sweaters, and other necessities for the children.

One of our participants, who works at the school, is the volunteer collector and distributor for this project.

The school has a uniform code that requires kids to wear only black, white, or gold sweaters. Vests, pullovers and cardigans will all be greatly appreciated. Male or female, sizes S to XL. If you have charcoal, you may use it, but please note that it will be given to 5th and 6th graders, so please size accordingly.

If you are one who cannot create a sweater, vest, or cardigan, but still want to lend a hand on this project, you may make scarves. I understand that the school uniform code does not allow the children to wear the scarves on campus during school hours, but they are allowed to wear the scarves to and from school. Also, these children do need to be warm outside school as well, and my not have scarves at home for their out-of-school hours.

Address to mail your items:
Carmen Arace Middle School
Attn: Maggie Tarbox
390 Park Avenue
Bloomfield, CT 06002

Please remember to affix the “Sharing Our Gifts” tag to each item you send.

Happy creating!

Project #23: Alabama, Fingerless Mitts for teens

Now begins the month of fingerless mitts. This project will run from 9/15 to 10/15 and will benefit the Salvation Army Christmas Program in Florence, Alabama.

This program needs 200 fingerless mitts for teen girls, ages 13 to 18, to put into their Christmas packages. It can be any type of yarn and can be knitted or crocheted.

Here is the address for mailing this month:
T. Coats
845 County Road 57
Florence AL 35633

Happy creating!

Project 22: Maryland - Helping Kids at Hopkins

(photo property of MiniLaura)

kittyville pattern available free on Ravelry
Not a Ravelry member? Get the pattern here.

August 15 through September 15
Time to turn our heads to the dark of night in the first bite of ensuing winter. The fun of crafting hats for this eve of dressing to ward off ghouls and goblins is upon us…

From Helping Kids at Hopkins Ravelry Group: “Sept/Oct- Halloween Hats are back!!!! This popular and very fun hat collection for the kids on the oncology floor is a fun tradition that is in it’s forth year. Anyone can make a chemo cap, but can you make one for Halloween? Check out our shared projects section to see the great hats from 2008, 2009, & 2010 and spark your creativity for 2011.”

If you are not a member of Ravelry and cannot visit the Helping Kids at Hopkins forum thread for inspiration, you can visit...well, what are you waiting for? It's free to join, and they have the best selection of free patterns that I have found ANYWHERE! (You can try knitpicks.com, lionbrand.com, and knittingpatterncentral.com, but you will have to dig.)

Items should be mailed to:
Helping Kids at Hopkins
PO Box 105
Hanover, MD 21076

As always, don’t forget to attach a tag that says "from Sharing Our Gifts" when sending your items. Thank you again for joining in on our projects.

Happy creating!

Project 21: Missouri, Joplin - Emerson Elementary

Please excuse my lack of posting the projects here on the blog in recent months. I have been so busy that I have just focused on getting them posted on Ravelry. I will update again soon.

We have decided to assist Emerson Elementary in Joplin, Missouri this month. Project runs from July 15 to August 15.

Our coordinator/collector/distributor is mcahill on Ravelry. She is a group administrator of the Tornado Recovery group.

As for items, we can make any warm items for elementary aged children: hats, scarves, mittens…

As was suggested, it would be GREAT if we could each attach a little card about or geographic location (and maybe a little factual information about that location) to our items with the Sharing Our Gifts tag. In this way, we will send a little warmth and a little geography lesson at the same time.

This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Please remember to put Sharing Our Gifts tag on items when sending.

Have fun! Happy creating…

Project 17: Wisconsin, Hebron House of Hospitality

(Hebron House)

Beginning on March 15, we move onward to the state of Wisconsin, and to making a variety of items for Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. in Waukesha. There are two shelter houses in Waukesha that are run by Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc.; these are the Hebron House at 812 N East Ave, Waukesha, WI and the Siena House at 1519 Summit Ave, Waukesha, WI. Hebron can serve 40 families at one time, and Siena can serve 37 at one time. I am told they are always full, and always in need of donations.

This project was suggested by AuntieTrixKnits26 on Ravelry, and she will be acting as our coordinator and mail recipient.

One of the wonderful things about Hebron House is that they have a very good website which includes a wish list. We can make anything we like from the wish list, which includes:
Hats, scarves, cowls, mittens, socks, slippers, washcloths, lapghans, and many more items.

Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. shares their mission statement and philosophy on their website:
“The mission of Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. is to provide emergency housing and related services to people in transition with the basic needs of shelter, food and personal support.” …“Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. is operated always with the purpose to provide housing and food to any person of any faith, nationality, sex, age or disability. We strive to provide this service in a non-judgmental atmosphere.”

DEADLINE:
Deadline to have these items received by the project coordinator is April 15, so please allow appropriate mail time. She will be delivering to the facility just after April 15.

As stated above, our volunteer coordinator for this project is AuntieTrixKnits26. Donations can be mailed to:

This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Please let me know if there are any questions, or if I have left out any vital information for this project. Thank you again for your participation!

Project 16: Ohio, Touching Little Lives

This project begins February 15 and goes to March 15. We will be making infant items for Touching Little Lives (TLL). Read to the bottom for mailing instructions...

This month, we will be making items for tiny new humans in need. Here is some information about the mission of Touching Little Lives:

"It's a simple fact that many of Ohio's newborns lack the basic necessities to assist them in developing and sustaining good health. A warm blanket and clothing are vital to a newborn to retain body heat. These simple items can make the difference in an infant's ability to ward off other illnesses which could develop, necessitating return hospital stays that could have been prevented and adding to the already high cost. Our mission is to 'touch the little lives' of needy premature and newborn infants in Ohio, to do all that we can to give them, free of any charge, the necessities that every newborn needs. Our volunteers hand make **quilts, blankets, caps, booties, gowns, undershirts, afghans, bibs, sleepers**, and other articles."

This project allows for a good deal of variety in what we choose to make, and I will leave it up to each of you to make what you like from the list above. Additionally, TLL uses surgery dolls to help children transition from surgical procedure through recovery with an item of security. They say:

"Our surgery dolls are used by doctors and nurses to draw on and graphically explain to a young child about their pending surgery. This helps the child understand what he or she is about to undergo. This doll is then given to the child, something to hold on to during the stressful hospital stay and something to take with when they are finally able to return home. We make stuffed animals and these are provided to various area agencies and emergency rooms. Having something soft to cling to during a time of stress can do much to ease the trauma of a young child."

TLL offers photo examples of the items they need, as well as providing patterns for sewing, knitting and crochet of the items. They give sizing information as well as needle and yarn suggestions.

Soft cotton and soft acrylics are best for this project. Let me know if you have questions.

Our Fearless Volunteer Collector/Delivery person for this project is [knitsforpits]. Your items can be mailed to:
This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.