Completely Dissapointed

[bruisin]

oh my!

 

they usually beg for donated things here! Im shocked!

[RosemaryP.]

Wow. I've been wanting to do more for others. I need a receipant for my "addiction." But I'll be more selective when I start looking in inearnest.

[GlasgowLindsay]

Try not to be too discouraged, the hospitals are facing lots of red tape all the time. I'm in the UK and it took me a while to find out how to donate my crocheted items. Nursing homes either jumped at the offer wanting more then I could make(which made me feel overwhelmed and bad about not being able to make one for each of the patients myself) or said a flat no. I didn't get far with hospitals either.

 

My local hospice takes them to fundraise and gets some pretty high amounts of money for them which surprised me. In some ways I would be happier to see them handed to patients but I have built up a nice relationship with the matron there and she explained that sometimes they are put to better use for fundraising/raising awareness.

 

I also found a couple of charities here who take squares which are assembled into blankets and given to people in nursing homes who DO accept crocheted items. The best to deal with so far has been Friends 2 Seniors some of my squares are in the blankets in the photo album now! Giving to charity is not always as straightforward as we think it will be but the hard work of finding the right place is worth it in the end! Don't give up!

[cupcake]

Has any one seen Chanti? I am worried as I emailed her a few times and it bounced back. Last I spoke with her she had been ill with the flu, and was moving house. I hope her and Abi are ok.

[theworm]

I live is Qld Australia, and I have been reading lots of lovely stories about you wonderful crocheters donating to your local hospitals etc, So I thought i would try and find out if I could donate to my local hospital.

 

I am sorely dissappointed when I say that I cannot donate to patients, what I can do is donate to the Hospital Auxillary and they will sell:think my items to the patients. Is that the case with any of you.

 

I have to admit my shock at this. A lot of people who have to be in a public hospital for any lenght of time, cannot not normally afford such little luxuries. And they are normally the people that I would want these items to go to.

 

 

That's just crazy. I would try donating to nursing homes and/or hospice instead. I can't believe that they won't accept donations.

[Kristie]

Hi,

I live in QLD too and regularly crochet for charity and am getting a QLD blankets for charity group going if you are interested...My email addy is angelbaby-0023 AT hotmail DOT com if you would like to join in on group blanket crocheting. Good luck, Kristie

[Aussie]

Hi Kristie,

 

I just emailed you about the crocheting group.

 

I have found it hard as well to find places to donate afghans. The Womens and Childrens Hospital here in Adelaide wont take them.

 

The next best thing I guess would be to send squares overseas.

[grinning chook]

That is unbelievable!

 

I work in a nursing home in W.Aussie and we would gladly accept crocheted blankets and have quite a few that have been made by volunteers and family members

 

Maybe try some of the smaller places around, nursing homes, hospice, etc or some of the orgs like St Vinnies, Good Sammys etc that can pass them on to people in need.

 

Sending overseas is a great idea and I can give you places that are in need of blankets but unfortunately the postage is so high often it is better to give them the money to buy them over there. I purchased a fleecy blanket at Red Dot for $5.99 and it cost me $10 to send it to Vietnam.

[cupcake]

Hi there, people are responding without reading the full thread.

 

It is not unbelievable. I have added my earlier reponse as there is a good reason for this:

 

" Chanti I know where you live and I think I can guess what hospital you went to. The usual policy is that the auxillary will accept items to raise funds for the hospital and the patients.

 

This is not as bad as it seems. There is an issue in hospitals with infection control etc so the hospitals prefer hospital blankets etc which are easier to launder. Bodily fluids on a crochet item is not easy to clean. I have donated many an item to the hospital auxillary or hospital red cross who do a maginificant job in setting up stalls in the hospital foyer and the like. These people are all volunteers you give of their time willingly. I have also donated bits and pieces of yarn and materials, books and magazines.

 

Some items I have donated (like afghans) they have raffled and raised a lot of money which was put to good use to buy much needed equipment.

 

As regards giving items to patients the best place to donate to is an aged care facility such as those run by Blue Care. I worked in one of these a few years back, and the goal was to get a handmade afghan on every bed. We also liked crocheted hankies, facewashers, coathangers , soap sachets etc and little personal things to give to the residents on special days such as Mothers day and birthdays. Many of these people were forgotten by their relatives and it was nice for the staff to have have a box of pressies.

 

I wouldn't be discouraged by your recent experience."

 

sorry to but in , but I would hate to think that donated work is unappreciated here.

[bevq]

That does happen in the US too. I always specify that the items CANNOT be sold to raise money for anyone. They must be given to the patients. Most of the time it isn't an issue here though. But I check to make certain.

 

http://bevq.blogspot.com

[Jan-Knit]

I was shopping at a local thrift store recently. There were close to 50 handmade blankets on the rack. I asked the woman working there where they came from. She told me the nursing home nearby gets so many they can't use them so the give them to the thrift store who then sells them. Hmmmm. So I guess my advice is check and see if they are really needed before you donate. If not, find another place.

[catlyn]

I was shopping at a local thrift store recently. There were close to 50 handmade blankets on the rack. I asked the woman working there where they came from. She told me the nursing home nearby gets so many they can't use them so the give them to the thrift store who then sells them. Hmmmm. So I guess my advice is check and see if they are really needed before you donate. If not, find another place.

 

 

I was shocked at this, too, that beautiful handmade items intended for patients end up on a thrift store shelf. That is so sad.

 

The OP's post also shocked me that the hospital would take someone's hard work and make money off of it.

 

Neither of these situations sound right to me. I would find another place to give to, that appreciated my hard work.

 

I want to make some hats and small items to give to the Arkansas Children's hospital in Little Rock Arkansas. They take donations thruout the year at anytime, and these things are given to the patients.

However, care has to be taken what kind of things you make and give, because if they do not deem it appropriate, they will trash it or give it to another charity. So if you try a hospital that treats cancer patients, check with them first to make sure what you make is going to be used there.

For instance I found the cutest pattern for "Animal Hug Bracelets". I thought those would be the cutest things for the little kids to put on their wrist...of course the arm with out an IV in it.

But the hospital will not accept anything with polyester fiberfil stuffing in it, so I have to come with a way to avoid using the fiberfil as the stuffing.

I would hate to see my hard work go into the trash can.

[cupcake]

Sorry if I might seem a bit touchy about this, but there are valid reasons, as I have stated throughout this thread.

 

1) infection control issues and difficulties laundering crochet items in a hospital laundry.

 

2) the money they raise they use to buy much needed equipment for the patients. To me this all makes a lot of sence.

[beth eathorne]

I think that when you donate that if it is sold then that is the best way to service that organizations needs. Cupcake you are right about asking first. We all want to give our best. If a blanket that I make can be sold to buy much needed equipment or any other item needed then i say great. Money is hard to raise and people will buy something instead of just giving the dollar.

[sammimag]

Cupcake and others thanks for info.

 

I don't think this was mentioned. Look into an women shelters to donate too for those who do want what you make to go to families rather than for raffle or sale. I think this is worth while too!

[catlyn]

Sorry if I might seem a bit touchy about this, but there are valid reasons, as I have stated throughout this thread.

 

1) infection control issues and difficulties laundering crochet items in a hospital laundry.

 

2) the money they raise they use to buy much needed equipment for the patients. To me this all makes a lot of sence.

 

That's good if the person making the items wants to donate to a charity that raises money for equipment.

But I also feel if a person wants to give their crocheted blankets directly to the people in need, that option should be available also.

 

The people doing the work should have the option, don't you think?

There should be plenty of opportunities around for all kinds of giving and the destination of the giving.

[mamajana]

 

But the hospital will not accept anything with polyester fiberfil stuffing in it, so I have to come with a way to avoid using the fiberfil as the stuffing.

I would hate to see my hard work go into the trash can.

 

 

How about using saved up yarn scraps or fabric scraps for stuffing. Cut really small, about 1/4 inch, they stuff really well and give a lightweight loft. Hope that helps.

[cupcake]

That's good if the person making the items wants to donate to a charity that raises money for equipment.

But I also feel if a person wants to give their crocheted blankets directly to the people in need, that option should be available also.

 

The people doing the work should have the option, don't you think?

There should be plenty of opportunities around for all kinds of giving and the destination of the giving.

 

Absolutely!

 

It is just I know the hospital that the op was referring to as she lives in my part of the world. There are so many charities that are grateful for donations. My point is dont be angry at the hospital and think it is terrible, it is just they have valid reasons behind their decisions.

 

Re the stuffing, what is the issue with polyfill? Is it that it absorbs things?

 

I would be interested in knowing.

[catlyn]

Absolutely!

 

It is just I know the hospital that the op was referring to as she lives in my part of the world. There are so many charities that are grateful for donations. My point is dont be angry at the hospital and think it is terrible, it is just they have valid reasons behind their decisions.

 

Re the stuffing, what is the issue with polyfill? Is it that it absorbs things?

 

I would be interested in knowing.

 

I'm not real sure, but I think it's because kids can pick at things sometimes and they might pull the stuffing out and might possibly ingest it.

I'm not positive on that, but I asked an RN friend who has worked in hospitals and that's what she suggested.

 

Here's the link to see the animal hug bracelets.

http://www.anniesattic.com/search.html?criteria=Animal+hug+bracelets&go.x=0&go.y=0

 

 

I thought they were so cute and would bring a bit of cheer to a little kid who is in the hospital.

[cupcake]

crikey those bracelets are adorable!

[catlyn]

crikey those bracelets are adorable!

 

Aren't they?? I thought they were so cute. And I've already ordered the pattern so I've got to figure out a way that they would be acceptable to hospital donation standards to give to the kids in the hospital.