Thursday, December 23, 2010

Donate Button & Other News

We now have a "Donate" button on the blog! You can donate via PayPal now, right through the blog. I finally figured out how to do it, thanks to my friend Melissa.. thanks Melissa :)

In other news, I am digging through information on how to get our charity registered and to get it tax-free. I have another friend, also named Melissa, who is going to help me with the process. I'll keep you all posted.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Warm Holiday Heart

Nothing warms my heart like being around family and friends at this time of the year, but this year my heart grows even warmer when I go check our Knits For Needs PO box. There were 5 packages awaiting me yesterday!

Huge thanks to my Aunt Nola up in Michigan for donating some yarn and a sizable monetary donation... we'll keep going for a long time because of your generosity and the generosity of others who support us. Thank you so much!

Thanks also to Lorraine in South Carolina for donating 5 hats and yet another monetary donation! Myra in Illinois sent 2 scarves for the rape crisis center and 2 hats as well... thanks! And Marie in Georgia sent in 4 scarves. Thank you all so much for your support and taking the time to use your skills to help others.

The spirit of Knits For Needs is alive and well! We are up to 1,048 items donated this year :) Happy Holidays!

Friday, December 17, 2010

A Word About Monetary Donations

Hello all :) I just heard from someone on Facebook who said she wants to make donations in her friends' names as Christmas gifts for them. What a great idea! If anyone else is interested in doing the same, or if you simply want to donate for yourself this Holiday Season, as of right now, we have two ways of doing that. You can donate via Paypal by going to Paypal and making a donation using our email address, which is knitsforneeds@gmail.com. Or, you can simply send a check to our address: Knits For Needs, PO Box 551, Woodstock, GA 30188.

I do not have a button for Paypal on our blog because I can't figure out how to do it :) If anyone knows how, please email me: knitsforneeds@gmail.com

Also, since we are not legally registered as a charity yet, I cannot offer receipts for your records. I do, however, guarantee that 100% of all monetary donations we receive go towards shipping and other minor upkeeping, such as renewing the PO Box. I have a separate account called "KFN" in which I keep these funds put aside for our needs. If anyone knows anything about registering as a charity, please email me. I need to start thinking about that since we are really growing!

Again, Happy Holidays!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

22 Hats for Cold Kids

I just sent out 22 hand-knit and crocheted hats to Cleveland yesterday. A lady who works at a pre-school up there sent me a message on Facebook asking who could help get some warm items to several kids in her school who didn't have warm things. I was very glad to help out.. this is what Knits For Needs loves to do!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

More Thanks for More Donations

Thank you to Bonnie in New Jersey for sending in 9 beautiful hats! Three of them are going out next week to some kids at a pre-school in Chicago who do not have warm things to wear.

Thanks also to Rhonda in Georgia for donating 2 sweet baby blankets and 6 adorable baby sweaters. These will all go to babies in need at a hospital very soon... stay tuned. Also, thank you, Rhonda, for sending a monetary donation to help with shipping costs!

Our current count of things donated to KFN in 2010 is: 1,035! How exciting to know we are helping so many people!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

11 Hats for Cold Kids

My kids' school has a mitten and hat tree where they hang items for kids in need this winter. I'm sending in 11 of our hats today for them to hang on it! It is currently 16 degrees here in Atlanta.. I hope they get the items quick!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Over 1,000 Items Donated!

So I have some very exciting and heart-warming news to share: We've now reached 1,014 items donated to Knits For Needs in 2010!! Not only did we meet our goal of 900, but we've surpassed it significantly. All items donated go to warm up people in need, such as chemo patients, preemies, the homeless, hospital patients, and anyone else in need. I'm sending out some hats to someone in Chicago who works at a pre-school where many of the kids come in without warm clothes. I love our organization!

Tons of thanks go out to Sandi in South Dakota who took 19 hats to the homeless veterans shelter near her home. Also, thank you Cathy in Georgia, who donated 7 hats, 1 scarf, and some money for shipping. Thanks also go out to Elizabeth in Alabama for the hat she donated and to Beth in Massachusetts, who donated 21 hats and some money for shipping as well. You guys have been busy! Thank you also to all the people out there who have donated squares to be turned into blankets. I don't know everyone's names to thank you individually, but your support is much appreciated. Thank you so much for your undying support of our ongoing mission to help people in need of warm, hand-knit and crocheted items. Certainly what warms them the most is the thought that people out there care and are taking the time to make these items for them.

If you're wondering how you can support Knits For Needs, simply knit or crochet an item and send it in! Every item counts. Our contact information is on the left side of our blog. Feel free to email us with any questions or comments. We also accept monetary donations to help with shipping these items all over the United States, as well as yarn donations. Which reminds me, I have plenty of yarn to be used for Knits For Needs if anyone needs any. I ask that you pay $10 for shipping, and I'll send you a box full of yarn.

If 2010 was this big for KFN, what will 2011 be like? I can't wait! We'll set an even bigger goal and I'll bet we'll reach it. Help spread the word about KFN by tweeting about it and telling your friends. Also, a goal of mine is to have articles written about what we're doing or even be featured on the news, so email your papers and news stations about us. The more support we get, the bigger we'll grow!

Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Exciting Times For Knits For Needs!

Holy cow, I just got back from the PO Box and we've received sizable monetary donations!! We have enough to cover this season's shipments, plus a bunch for next year!! Thank you so much to Cathy in GA, Stephanie in NJ, and Michele in VA!! You guys have made a very special contribution to a great organization of people who knit and crochet items to keep those in need warm. I almost cried when I saw the size of a couple of those checks. I love your generosity and your dedication to this charity. Because of you and because of the people who knit and crochet for us, we are making a world of difference here in the US. You guys rock!

Thanks also to Cathy in GA for sending 7 hats and 1 beautiful scarf! Our count is now 779! I feel confident that we will get to our goal of 900 this year. We've already beat our total from last year by over 100. Keep up the wonderful work!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Warm Stuff for Homeless Veterans, Homeless Kids, and Cancer Patients

We have some exciting news to share! 128 knit and crocheted items that have been donated by you are going out to people in need today.

65 items are going to an organization here in Atlanta that will be using the items as Christmas presents for homeless children. My daughter and I will also be going to help wrap the presents for the children on December 18. Here is the website of the organization: http://www.childrn.org/crn_trial_4_009.htm

24 soft and comfy hats will be going to Cancer Treatment Centers of America to be given to chemo patients.

And finally, 39 warm hats will be sent to a homeless veterans center in South Dakota.

In other news, we are still in desperate need of funds... please help! I will be using the remainder of our funds to ship these items today, which means we will have no money for further shipments if we do not accumulate further funds. If we have no funds to ship with, I will take items around the Atlanta area, but I like to support people around the US, so I'm hoping to gain some funds with which to do this. Thanks in advance for all who will support this cause!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Many Thanks!

If this doesn't make you feel great, I don't know what will! Read this "thanks" we got from the Rape Crisis Center:
*************
Dear Ms. Zelaya,
Thank you so very much for the box of scarves! I am speechless! They are all so beautiful and I am just so delighted and touched by your gift. Your scarves will be packaged up with a pretty ribbon and give out to either a walk-in victim, a man/woman seeking counseling for a previous/past assault or given to a volunteer when she is called out to the hospital to accompany a victim in need. All these scarves that are hand-made with loving hands, such as yours, are a comfort and a symbol of hope. Recently, a hot-line volunteer was called to the hospital center to talk with a young woman who had experienced a sexual assault. When the volunteer handed the young woman the scarf, she immediately unwrapped it, wound it around her neck and refused to remove it. I was later told that she wore it the next day when she came in for counseling. It's stories like these that make scarves like yours so valuable. Your generous gift will be a comfort; your gift will make a difference and that I can promise.

Thank you so very much
**************

In other news, thank you so much to Lorraine in South Carolina for donating 3 gorgeous and adorable baby kimonos and one baby hat. Thanks also to Cheryl in Texas for donating 9 pairs of socks, 10 hats, 2 cowls/shrugs, and 3 scarves... you've been busy! Thanks also to Cheryl for sending a generous monetary donation to help with shipping costs.

We are still in need of funds to help with shipping costs, so please, please, please consider donating, even if it is a small amount. We have a lot of items to send out this winter and we need the funds to be able to do it. You can donate via Paypal by using our email address: knitsforneeds@gmail.com, or you can simply mail a check to us. Thank you!

Our total amount of items donated this year is a whopping 713! We can make it to 900, our goal. Again, I am so proud to be working with you all on this special project to help those in need. Many thanks to all contributors and supporters!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Scarves To The Rescue!

We'll be sending out some scarves tomorrow! The picture to the right shows scarves that will be sent to a rape crisis center in Maryland. The picture below shows the scarves being sent to Michigan. They will be used in a fundraiser for a girl who was badly injured in a horse accident. Thank you so much to all who contributed these special scarves for people in need! Go Knits For Needs!

Friday, October 1, 2010

New Stuff!

Well, I just got back from the PO Box and it was like Christmas there! 4 boxes for Knits For Needs! I was so excited. Many thanks are in order.

Thank you to Kathryn in WI for donating 2 scarves, to Myra in IL for donating 3 adorable baby kimono/booty sets, to Linda in CT for donating 3 scarves and 7 hats, and to Shanda in NC for donating 2 blankets, 1 scarf, 6 hats, and some yarn as well. THANK YOU all!!!

This means our count for this year is up to 665 now! Onward to 900! Keep knitting and crocheting, and thanks so much for supporting Knits For Needs :)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Update

Thank you Terri in Ohio for donating 11 hats to Knits For Needs!! Our count is up to 641 now and our goal is 900 for this year... I think we can do it! Keep sending in your knit and/or crocheted items and let's make it to our goal of helping 900 people in need in 2010. If you have any questions/comments/suggestions, please email us at knitsforneeds@gmail.com.

We are running out of funds, and we'll need them very soon so we can start sending out our things to people in need across the US. If anyone would like to donate monetarily to our cause, even if it is just 5 bucks, please just send us a check or deposit it into our PayPal account.. you just need our email address, which is listed above. I hate to ask for money.... uggg... but we'll need it. I think we only have about $15 in our account, which would only cover one shipment. Thanks in advance to all people who will help build back our funds!!

Thank you again to ALL supporters and contributors, without you, we would not work. Thanks so much, and, again, I'm proud to be working with you on this special project of helping people across the US!! Have a great day!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Contest Results

Thank you to everyone who participated in our contest by sending in knit/crocheted items! Everyone who donated from January 1 till June 30 was entered into a drawing for prizes. For every 5 items donated, you got another entry into the drawing. I had my kids help me with drawing names and we have 8 winners!!: Melinda from PA, Michelle from PA, Lynne from GA, Shanda from SC, Terri from OH, Myra from IL, Lorraine from SC, and Alicia from NJ.

I have everyone's addresses, but what I don't have and what I need are your email addresses. 5 of the prizes are E-books of knitting patterns from one of my favorite Twitter Knitters, @fiberfool. Two people will be getting a book of knitting patterns donated by my friend Heidi, and one person will be getting some stitch markers donated by @xxferretgirlxx on twitter.. she's also on Ravelry as NinjaBunnyStudios. Thanks so much for the prize donations, guys!

Since most of these prizes are knitting related, I need to know which of you ONLY crochet so I can make sure you get crochet-related prizes.

So, to recap, for the winners of the contest, I need you to email me:

a) your email address
b) tell me if you only crochet

Our email address is on the left side of the blog. I think that is all the info I need at the moment. Thanks again to all who support and donate to Knits For Needs! Let's keep it up.. onward to 900!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

New Donations

Ok, so the picture isn't the best, I just realized, but you get the picture...we'd had over 50 items donated to Knits For Needs within the past week! Many thanks to Lynn in GA, Lorraine in SC, Myra in IL, and Shanda in NC. Your contributions and support mean a lot to me and to the people who will be receiving your items. I love working on this project with you and with all of our other members and supporters across the world! Our total for this year is 613 donated items! We're well on our way to our goal of 900.

Let me figure out how many drawing entries everyone has and I'll announce the winners of our contest with in the week. Happy 4th!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Last Day of Contest!!

Hello everyone and thank you so much for participating in our contest! You all are a very generous and giving bunch and I'm proud to be working with you on this project that is near and dear to my heart.

I have not been able to get to the PO Box in several days because my car broke down and is in the shop (it is only 2 years old!!) Can you say "Cabin Fever"?? I'll go check it this weekend with the hubbies' car and I'll post the winners soon, like within the week.

Thanks again for participating in this contest that is really a mission to provide warm things to people in need!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

125 Hats For Halos Of Hope

A few days ago, I sent out 125 hats to Halos Of Hope, an organization that provides hand-knit/crocheted hats to chemo patients. I saw that they had a need for hats on Twitter, so I decided this would be a good opportunity for us to help some chemo patients with our items. Here are a couple pictures of my daughter and me with the hats I sent. Sierra helps me a bit with the charity so I thought I'd include her in the picture. Halos of Hope mentioned something about a press release, so I'm sending these pics to them as well. Many thanks and kudos to those who helped by sending in items!!

Monday, May 24, 2010

New Donation & Contest Reminder

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to Terri in Ohio for sending in 16 prayer squares and 8 hats!

Also, just a reminder that our contest is still in full force. LOTS of things have been sent in, so the competition is strong, but don't let that discourage you from joining in! Simply send in at least 1 knit/crocheted item and you will be entered into a drawing for prizes. For every 5 items you donate to Knits For Needs, you get another entry into the drawing. I'm not sure yet, because I'm still gathering prizes, but we should have at least 5 winners. More to come about the prizes, but they'll all be knitting/crochet related.

As you know, 100% of items donated to Knits For Needs go to people in need throughout the United States, be they homeless, chemo patients, preemies, or anyone else in need.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Hats For Heads

Many thanks to Lorraine in South Carolina and to Robin for sending in a total of 14 hats and 9 skeins of yarn for Knits For Needs! Aren't the hats gorgeous? And Lorraine actually took the time to tag each one beautifully. I love these hats! And the skeins of yarn are up for grabs for people who need more yarn for their charity projects. I just ask that you pay $10 for shipping (it usually costs more than that but I just pay the rest) and I'll send you a box full of yarn.

With the 1 hat that my daughter knit for KFN and the 7 that I just donated, that means our count for this year is up to 439!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

A Special Hat For KFN


My daughter (12) has just finished knitting a hat for Knits For Needs! It is the first hat she has ever knit. She decided to knit it for KFN for a service project for Beta Club at school. I'm so proud of her :)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

A Blanket For Kyle

Yesterday I sent 50 blanket squares to Melinda, a Ravelry friend, for a blanket she is making for a little boy who was just diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a brain cancer common in children. I love that Knits For Needs loves to do things like this for people, and I'm so lucky to be working on this mission with you all. Thank you Melinda for doing this for Kyle. I'm sure it will make him feel very loved and supported. Thank you also to Michelle, who knit and donated the 50 squares that are making this blanket possible.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Collection for Charity GROWS!

These are exciting times for Knits For Needs! We've had many donations, including a HUGE one from Alicia in New Jersey. Many thanks to Alicia and her mother for donating a whopping 56 hats, 2 scarves, about 8 skeins of yarn, some baby booties, and 50 prayer squares! WOW! You guys have been busy. Thank you so much for your dedication to Knits For Needs. Thank yous also go out to Terri in Ohio for donating 6 hats and Myra in Illinois for donating 3 hats and 3 super adorable purses that I'm sure some girls are simply going to love!

Our total for this year so far is 417! We are well on our way to 900 items, which is our goal for 2010. If you are just now starting to follow Knits For Needs' progress, please take the time to read our blog to see what we are all about. We love to donate knit/crocheted items to people in need, and YOU can help! Every donation counts.

Also, we are currently looking for donations of prizes to award our contest winners. Do you own a shop and would you be willing to donate stitch markers? Knitting needles? Any other possible prizes? We will also accept monetary donations to help with the prizes as well as for shipping costs. We have a PayPal account where you can donate money to our wonderful, charitable organization. You just need our email address: knitsforneeds@gmail.com

Thank you for reading our blog, and have a wonderful day! Thank you for supporting Knits For Needs!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Contest!

We're having a contest here at Knits For Needs! Everyone who donates items, from the beginning of 2010 to June 30, 2010, will be entered into a drawing for prizes. For every 5 items you donate, another entry will be placed in the pot. For instance, if you donate 1 item, you get one entry. If you donate 5 items, you get 2 entries. If you donate 10 items, you get 3 entries. And so on, and so on. As always, 100% of items donated to Knits For Needs go directly to people in need.

If you'd like to donate a prize or if you have questions, please feel free to leave comments or email us anytime: knitsforneeds@gmail.com.

Please remember to include your address, phone number and/or email address, and info about which groups you belong to (twitter? ravelry? facebook?) in your packages to I know how to reach you.

Let the games begin!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Knits For Needs would like to thank everyone for all the donations we've been receiving so far this year. I love going to the PO Box... it's like Christmas :) Christmas for people in need. Thank you for the donations and support!

Melinda in Pennsylvania has sent 17 prayer squares to us here in Atlanta and has delivered 14 blankets to Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Thank you Melinda!

Michelle, also in Pennsylvania, knit 51 blanket squares and 2 scarves for Knits For Needs with yarn that her grandmother left when she passed. She thought that would be a great way to honor her grandmother, and we agree that her grandmother would approve and be very, very proud.

Elizabeth in Alabama and Whitney in Indiana together sent 3 scarves. Thanks guys!

Lynne in Marietta, GA knit and donated 35 hats and 3 scarves! Wow! I also had the chance to meet Lynne last weekend as I was bringing her more yarn. I wish I could meet all of you. Lynne and I are going to a meeting of Twitter knitters (and non-Twitter knitters) this Sunday, March 21, at 12:30 at Rare Purls in Duluth. If you're an Atlanta knitter, think about coming out to join us!

If I have forgotten to mention someone, PLEASE let me know. I do forget things now and again. Our email address: knitsforneeds@gmail.com. I think some of our Ravelry members have donated many items and I counted them on our total count, but forgot to write down the individual donations...sorry! Let me just send out a big thanks to Sweezer and GennyLynn on Ravelry for all you do. GennyLynn has been receiving many blanket squares. Thank you all for sending them and allowing her to make blankets for people in need. Our Ravelry group is really active so if you don't belong, join us today!

Our total count of things donated to Knits For Needs so far just in 2010 is: 289!! As you know, 100% of items donated to KFN go directly to people in need through homeless shelters, food banks, hospitals, etc. Keep the donations coming.. onward to 900!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Timothy's Cupboard

Hello everyone, and thanks for reading this latest update about Knits For Needs. If you are new, please take some time to read about all the wonderful things we've been up to in the past year, including donating 634 items to people in need in 2009! Our current count for 2010 is 48 and our lofty goal for this year is 900 items. If you are donating on your own in the name of Knits For Needs, please let me know and I'll include your items in our count.

Last week I had the honor of donating (you're going to kill me for not counting the exact number) about 25 hats, 4 crocheted amigurumi animals, and about 10 scarves to a church right around the corner from my home in Woodstock, GA, just north of Atlanta. The church is called Timothy Lutheran Church and is near and dear to my heart because all three of my children attended their preschool. What you see in the picture is not the church, but the tiny little house called Timothy's Cupboard, which is a food bank run by the church. In 2009, Timothy's Cupboard fed a total of 2,903 children, 8,277 people, and 2,433 families in the Cherokee County area in which I live. I called them a couple weeks ago to see if they might be in need of knit/crocheted warm things, and they said a resounding, "YES!". When I took the items (pictured) to them last week, I can't tell you the looks of amazement and appreciation I saw on their faces. They were amazed at our wonderful group of people and asked for more information about us and also mentioned they would not only get the items out immediately, but they'd need more. Needless to say, I will be bringing them more items soon as well as all of our contact info, including this blog.


Here is a not-so-great picture of me resembling Santa on my way to drop off the items at the church. Also pictured are some of the items that were donated. After this picture was taken, I found a bunch of adult hats that I wanted to include but then forgot to take of pic of everything altogether. I must get better at documenting all of this!

Below is a random picture of a hat I just finished for Knits For Needs. It was finished after the Timothy delivery, but I wanted to show it anyway because I think it is so cute! I can't wait to donate it.. actually, I guess that makes our count 49 now, doesn't it? :)

Have a great week, and please spread the word about our awesome organization, Knits For Needs!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Happy New Year!

It has been an amazing first year for Knits For Needs, and I thank every one of you for your support and contribution to this wonderful charity that, a year ago, was just an idea sitting in my head. Our goal for 2009 was to collect and donate 500 items and we weren't sure we'd be able to do it. In August, we were at 324 after receiving a huge donation of 120 hats from The Crochet Guild of America, and we were wondering if we'd ever make it to our goal, although 324 is quite an accomplishment! On November 16, we were at 405 items, and then, as if everyone came together to make sure our goal was reached, not only did we reach our goal of 500, but we soared to a whopping 634 items donated in 2009! Woo hoo - 634!
Knits For Needs thanks everyone who has nurtured this project into a huge, loving charity that is made up of giving people throughout the entire world. You should feel very special for using your time and talents to
help those in need across the United States. Not only do we bring a bit of warmth to the people we donate to, but we send them a message of hope and love. Someone, somewhere took the time to knit or crochet something very special for them, and that may very well have been the only gift they received this year. You deserve a pat on the back for your contributions to Knits For Needs, be they knit/crocheted items, monetary donations, yarn, or just plain support. I am proud to be associated with you all and wish we could all sit around and knit and crochet together :) If you're around Woodstock, GA, let's get together!

Looking forward to 2010, I hear by announce our goal is going to be 900 items this year! I know we can do it. We overshot our goal for this year and we are growing by leaps and bounds. 900? Piece of cake :) That does NOT include our total for 2009. So that means that by this time next year, if we reach our goal, we would have donated over 1,500 items to people in need. Let's go for it! Shanda in North Carolina has been the very first to donate in 2010, making our current total for this year 11. Thank you Shanda and all who will contribute their time and talents to Knits For Needs in 2010.

Also, there is something new I am going to suggest to you all who love Knits For Needs as much as I do: let's promote it like crazy! Twitter it, Facebook it, email news channels and newspapers about what we are doing. Make sure you send them our blog address.

Let's make 2010 even bigger! Thanks to all!


Meridith Zelaya