Knitting for Charity

Giving your time, talent and treasure to charity in any form is a good thing. Knitting is a wonderful way to give in all three of these ways. We give our time by spending hours knitting or crocheting a hat, blanket or other items. We give our talent by using our hands to create beautiful items to share. We give our treasure by using our money to purchase supplies for our donation. Not only does it benefit the charity itself, our own personal lives are enhanced by giving.

Why is it important that we donate to charity? Here are just 5 good reasons, from http://philomenafamily.org/?page_id=762

1. Help other people –there are millions of people in the world who are worse off than we are at any time. Many of these folks have problems that are not their fault or are beyond their ability to prevent or change. Humans are a social animal and the best way for mankind to advance is by helping those who are unable to help themselves. We have a responsibility to care for other people, to help those less fortunate than ourselves. When we have some spare cash, time or goods, it is an opportunity to help out.
2. Make a difference –donating to charity is the perfect opportunity to make a difference in the world. By making a difference to someone’s life, you are leaving behind a legacy. You are making a statement that your life was worthwhile because you made a contribution to society.
3. Feel good –medical and scientific research has proven beyond doubt that giving to other people makes you feel good. The feeling of satisfaction you get when you help someone else is hard to replicate with any other type of activity or endeavor. People who give feel happier, are less anxious and suffer less depression than those who don’t. Better health is enjoyed by those who donate their time, expertise or money to others who are in need. Charitable people tend to be able to cope with their own problems more easily than those who don’t donate. Giving to others improves your self-esteem, self confidence and self worth. This advantage flows into all areas of your life so you will find that you are more confident at work and in social situations.
4. Support a cause you believe in –different charities touch different people. If you are passionate about something or believe that a certain area is important, you will be able to support that cause by donating to charity. Whatever you believe in or are passionate about, you will be able to further the cause through donations to charity.
5. Meet new people –donations to charity give you the opportunity to meet new people and expand your circle of acquaintances. This is especially true when you donate your time or expertise to a worthy cause. While most charitable organizations always need money, many could not operate without an army of volunteers. As well as meeting potential friends, who knows where these new relationships will take you and how these new people might be able to help you in the future?

Knitting for charity is not new, but if you have never considered it before, try it this year. Instead of thinking that you have to knit many articles for many causes, you can always start small.

Here are a couple of ideas for charity knitting.

One charity you may consider donating to is Knitted Knockers. This charity accepts knit or crochet breast prosthesis for women who have undergone a mastectomy. Founder Barbara Demorest started this charity in 2011 when she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to find a soft comfortable prosthesis to wear to work while her stitches healed. The patterns are free and there are videos to help you along the way. I have made several of these and they are really fun to make. Find details about Knitted Knockers here: https://www.knittedknockers.org/

The Mother Bear Project is a charity that contributes knitted and crocheted bears to children in countries severely affected by aids. Some of the children are too poor to have a toy of their own, and this charity seeks to give a bear to a child in need. The patterns are $5 and contributors are encouraged to add special touches to their bears. Every donation receives a personal thank you note. Please learn more about Mother Bear Project: http://motherbearproject.org/index.php

For a list of groups that knit these bears socially, see: http://motherbearproject.org/knitting_groups.php

These are just a couple of examples of the vast number of charities for receiving knitted and crocheted items. Please feel free to add your favorite knit and crochet charity in the “comments” section below.