Help finding local charities...

[donnalynn2]

One of my goals this year is to make some items for charity.

 

I'd really like to help people in my town or nearby. I'm wondering if anyone else tries this approach? Who should I call to find out who's in need and what kinds of things I should make? I know of several charities that are far away but I'd really like to make a difference in my own backyard first.

 

Heck, maybe I could call the hospital and find out where the chemo patients go to get their treatments and maybe bring in chemo caps, prayer shawls and things like that? Where else should I call?

 

Churches?

Shelters?

Soup Kitchens?

 

I'm new to the whole "charity" thing and don't want to spin my wheels here.

 

Just wondering what others have done that has/hasn't worked, etc.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Nashville Crocheter]

In my crochet groups, we crochet chemo caps and take them to several cancer centers around town.

 

A couple of ladies who are Catholic, take baby layettes to Catholic Charities where they help unwed mothers.

 

I take some of the baby blankets I make to a center that is run by my church denomination. ( I haven't made any gowns or booties yet.)

 

I have also donated several blankets to my local chapter of the Linus Project. This chapter give blankets to foster childern in the area. Other chapters may give them to hospitals or somewhere else.

 

I dont know where you live, if your town is big enough, see if there is a Ronald McDonald house in town. The one here asks for childrens blankets, hats, mittens, toys...

[Jimmie Lu]

Check your local nursing home they always can use items like laprobes shawls small items like book markers too. Check your hospital Chaplin he/she will be able to help you understand the needs of the hospital. the same at the nursing home. Is there a soup kitchen at a local church in PA it gets cold so hats and mittens are needed for the homeless. Do you belong to a church(religous org) ask around maybe you can start an out reach!! Check your phone book for charities and ask about smaller charities they are useually the ones who have a greater need.

Hope this helps

[donnalynn2]

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions ladies!

 

Actually, we used to belong to a huge church which we loved until we found out just how little they help those in need. Not to mention that this church spends over $10,000 a year in computer upgrades, 1 million for church salaries, over $50,000 for advertizing but they only give $2,000 a year for helping those in need.

 

We tried talking to people in the church and were told that if someone needs help that a church wasn't supposed to support people monitarily that if people need money or help they should go to a shelter! We just couldn't believe it! I just don't know that I trust any of the churches in my area now because of that. My DH and I miss belonging to a church and miss the fellowship but we couldn't support it any longer. That's the reason I asked this question as I was very leary of asking churches in the area because of this.

 

I think I will call up some of the nursing homes and such. I also like the fact of helping chemo patients. My mom died of cancer and supporting those with cancer holds a spot very near and dear to my heart.

 

I'll let everyone know what I'm able to come up with. Thanks for the suggestions!

[fran]

Here are some links for crochet for charity:

http://home.inreach.com/marthac/charity.html

You can probably get local information through them.

[marnie413]

Your local Red Cross is also a good place to start.

[theworm]

everything that they all said.

Local nursing homes and hospices often need things.

 

If you like to make baby items, check out http://www.carewear.org - you'll be able to search for charities in your area there, too.

[shelain22]

Thats sad about your chyrch, THey dont have to give out monitary help, I know that the church I used to go to would buy things like refrigerators and such when a house burned or organize food drives and such, pay electric bills...

 

 

I was thinking about this the other day, my girls and where going to give premie blankets but they have to be closely stitched and They can do granny squares and such but they might get bored doing solid squares. Here is what I was thinking. I would like to start out makeing lapghans for nurseing homes, but I cant make them for everyone so eventually I would like tostart a group in my home town of women that meet twice a month and do lapghans, and have a class to teach crocheting and knotting, the price being the first completed lapghan has to be donated. any advice on how to get this going?

[mamaoso]

The hospital that is close to us I'm making Baby afghans. They want to try to make a afghan for every baby born in that hospital...They even supply the yarn... The cancer center that I go to likes afghans (cos getting a chemo treatment you get very cold), and I make prayer shawls.

 

And out of polmer clay - Bottles of Hope..

[Jimmie Lu]

for those lapgahns contact your Chaplin at the nursing home he/she will know which patients are needy and which are not some people have no one!!!! and a visit with a laprobe is always appreciated.

[christinascrochethaven]

My story....I moved last year and so I didn't know anyone. I was able to search on Internet and find out that there was a local Project Linus here. I've done things for them. I've also made many hats for the local public schools. Public schools desperately need warm things. I knew this because of where I used to live. So I asked at the school if they accept donations and when they said "yes"....I just took hats in. Recently, I had heard how nursing homes/life centers are in need of things....so I made up some lapafghans and gave them to a lady at church who works at one. She told me thank you and when I said I wanted to make slippers. She explained that they really needed slippers, too. They have patients that have diabetes and their feet are so swollen that it is hard to find slippers for them. So my goal is to make slippers for the 40 patients there that are wheelchair bound.

 

There are needs everywhere and all it takes is a phone call or to stop by and ask if they could use donations. Nobody has turned down my offers of crocheted items yet. And if you find someone not wanting your handmade things, then just skip them and keep looking. The needs are great and the workers are few..... So that makes crocheters very special people.