Many charities give away knitted or crocheted items to needy families and children. The organizations below are national in scope, but there are many local organizations that need help too. Check with your local knitting and crochet store, church or other non-profit organization to see how you can help. The websites of the organizations listed below usually have easy patterns to help you get started. You may want to use their patterns or choose your own.

Thanks for thinking of others!

Warm Up America! www.warmupamerica.org

Warm Up America! gives away handmade blankets, clothing and accessories to help people who have lost their homes, fled abusive relations, or are being cared for in hospices, shelters, hospitals, and nursing homes. You can start by just making 7” x 9” knitted or crocheted squares and sending them to other volunteers who sew them together.

Adopt-A-Native Elder www.anelder.org

Adopt-A-Native Elder distributes gifts of handknit socks, scarves and afghans to Dine’ (Navajo) elders.

Binky Patrol www.binkypatrol.org

Binky Patrol makes blankets and gives them to children in need of comfort.

Heavenly Angels in Need www.heavenlyangelsinneed.com

Heavenly Angels in need offers many types of help to babies, children and their families.  Volunteer to make baby hats, blankies, booties or donate your time to help them sew burial garments for infants or raise funds to support other bereavement needs.

Knit for Kids www.knitforkids.org

Knit for Kids is a volunteer organization that connects people from all over the world through Guideposts magazine. Knitters make sweaters for kids and send them to Guideposts magazine to distribute. An easy sweater pattern is on their website.

The Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) www.orphan.org

The Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) serves thousands of foster teens across the United States. Their red scarf project sends scarves to thousands of youths who are aging out of foster care. Scarf patterns and information are on their website.

The Painted Turtle www.thepaintedturtle.org

The Painted Turtle is a camp and family care center for children with life threatening diseases. Each camper’s bed is covered with a handmade quilt, and each camper returns home with a stuffed turtle pillow and lap quilt or afghan as mementos of their time at The Painted Turtle.

Project Linus www.projectlinus.org

Project Linus provides security to seriously ill or traumatized children by giving them handmade blankets.

Stitches from the Heart www.stitchesfromtheheart.org

Stitches from the Heart sends handmade blankets, and hats to premature babies in hospitals around the country.