New Director!

Hello all from Meridith! I am excited to say Knits For Needs is alive and well. As you know, I have been having pregnancy complications and have been on bed rest for a month... hopefully I only have 4 more weeks to go. We are doing fine. I just have to rest a lot, drink tons of water, and monitor contractions. My theory is that my body is NOT happy with me for going for the 4th child, but it will all be worth it in the end. Our family is very excited. Oh, and to add to our stress level, my youngest son managed to break BOTH his arms a few weeks ago!

We now have a new director! Her name is Michelle Perdue and she lives in Tennessee. Please note our new address and begin sending all donations her way. I am transferring all accounts to her, so you will be hearing from her very soon. Welcome Michelle, and thank you for saving KFN!! We are so proud of the organization we have built together, and we look forward to continuing our growth.

I will still be a part of KFN, so you'll still see me "around". I just needed someone to take over shipments and things... thanks again Michelle.

Go KFN!!

New Address

Hello folks!! We now have a new address for you to send your donations. As you know, I am passing the torch to someone who has decided to step up and take over. I will introduce her asap when she sends me a "bio". Here is our new address:

Knits For Needs
PO Box 698
White House, TN 37188

All donations from this point on should be sent to the new address.

I sent out two HUGE boxes this week! One was full of hats, probably about 150, and went to The Covenant House in New York City. The Covenant House is a refuge for homeless youth. The other box was full of scarves and went to the rape crisis center in Maryland that we have donated to before. I got a call from the director yesterday and she thanked us over and over again.

So, the transition to our new "director" is happening now, but Knits For Needs continues to make things happen. Nothing will change other than a new person will be taking over. And I'll still be around too :) On a personal note, I'm having complications with the pregnancy and have to put my feet up as much a possible. I'm a teacher and a parent of 3 kids, so this is next to impossible!!! I'm not officially on bed-rest yet, but it may be coming. I'm trying to hang on for another 2 months!

Rock On Knits For Needs

Great news everyone! It looks like someone will be taking over KFN for me so we can continue to grow and donate to people in need. I am very happy about this, as I'm sure you are as well. The only thing that will change for you is where you are sending your items. I will let you know all of the new info soon!

This past week I was able to get a few things delivered:

- 3 cat toys and 1 blanket to the Humane Society
- 11 lap robes to my grandmother's nursing home
- 23 hats, 15 dish cloths to Timothy Lutheran Foodbank which is down the street from me

The great thing about delivering things locally is getting to see the people's reactions. Everyone is so grateful for us and what we do.

We still have some items to ship out, a lot in fact. I had planned on getting them shipped this past week, but didn't get to it. Everything will go out this week and I will post that info soon.

Have a great weekend!

New News, and Sad News

Hello all!! Sorry I haven't posted in a long time. As most of you know, I am expecting my fourth child in April and the beginning of the pregnancy was very rough, so I've been absent from the computer for much of that time.

Special thanks to the following people:

Terri in Ohio, for donating 9 hats.
Marcy for donating 1 scarf and 12 dishcloths
Melinda in PA for donating 7 squares
Shanda in NC for donating yarn, 1 blanket, 1 pair of booties, and 3 hats
Linda in CT for donating some money, 3 blankets, 7 hats, and 3 scarves
Myra in IL for donating 1 pair of socks and 11 hats
Diane in NM for donating 8 squares

Our number for 2011 (and the very beginning of 2012) is 418. Thank you to all who contributed to this project again this past year!

I still have more items that need to be sent off to places and I plan to do that this week. I will let you know where everything goes.

And now for some sad news. I have decided that, for a number of reasons, I am going to dissolve Knits For Needs. Actually, if someone else is interested in taking over, please let me know asap and I'll get you started. That way, Knits For Needs can stick around and continue to grow. All of the rest of our items will be donated this week, including some yarn we still have, and our remaining funds will be donated to a worthy knitting charity (ideas?). Thank you to all of our loyal supporters and contributors. This has been a wonderful experience and I wish I could keep it going, but my life has changed drastically and I can no longer run the charity. Since its humble beginnings in early 2009, Knits For Needs donated 2,112 items to people in need!! Again, please let me know if you would like to take over the charity asap.

I'll post again soon when I ship the remaining items!! And... a very late Happy New Year to you!!

Today I sent out two big boxes of yarn to two groups who knit and crochet for charity. One group is in New York and they knit/crochet items for children in treatment centers and domestic violence shelters. The other project that we donated yarn to is as follows...

"My name is Suzann and I am currently a third year student at Boston University studying health sciences. In recent months I have been moved by reports covering the widespread famine in Somalia that has left hundreds of thousands dead and over 12 million at risk of starvation. As a citizen of the world I want to do my part to make an impact and most importantly, save lives. This is where Project Knit for Somalia begins. Our purpose is to bring those that love knitting and knit-lovers across the country together to raise money for hunger relief in Somalia. I'm currently in the early stages of spreading word through social media and inviting Boston University student groups and students across the nation to lend their ears, hearts, and a few hours of their time.

Each person is given the freedom to knit any wearable item, though preferably scarves and hats, and I will take responsibility for selling the finished products and donating 100 percent of the proceeds to an international aid organization stationed in Somalia such as Save the Children, the American Refugee Committee, UNICEF, and Action Against Hunger. In order to mobilize quickly we'll need yarn, and a lot of it. This is where I would appreciate any help in providing yarn that your organization can give. My goal is for Project Knit for Somalia to raise $500 in proceeds, of which every cent will be donated by November 13 or World Kindness Day. Each dollar can keep a Somali child or refugee alive for another day."

We are very happy to support these organizations by supplying them some yarn that they need and we have!!

Also, Lynne from GA stopped by my house today and brought tons of knit items and took a lot of yarn to use for her charity projects.

Thank you so much Lynne for donating 8 scarves, 11 lap robes, 26 hats, and 7 prayer squares! Also, thank you to Myra who donated 7 baby hats, to Cheryl who donated 1 shawl, 1 fingerless mitts, 5 scarves, 3 pairs of socks, and 10 hats, to Karen who donated 10 hats, and to Nancy in Baton Rouge (geaux Tigers!!!) who donated 5 scarves!

Yarn Donation From KFN

Today I'm sending out a huge box of yarn to the charity below.

*****************

Dear Knits for Needs,

You are ANGELS. We really need whatever you donate, especially fun fur.

Please send your donation to:

Handmade Especially for You

30065 Grandpoint Lane

Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275

Handmade is a real 501(c)3 so we will send you a receipt for your donation as soon as we receive it. If you're interested, here is an info letter we send to prospective volunteers/donors:

Welcome to Handmade Especially for You (501(c)3). We knit and crochet comfort scarves and distribute them to shelters for abused women. In 2010, we donated 10,000 comfort scarves to 27 shelters in CA. This looks like a lot, but we still need more because there is so much abuse that shelters are always full. Currently we make at least 800 scarves each month and send them to 43 shelters in S. CA. We need 5,000 for the Holidays so we really need YOU!

Here are the specs for making comfort scarves:

big needles (size 15 or 17) or big hooks (K, N, P)
soft yarn (for comfort)
happy color
at least 4 inches wide but no more than 5 inches wide
at least 60 inches long
open stitch (for distribution in a warm climate)
some decoration like fun fur or ribbon to individualize each scarf and make it a personal gift for the recipient

Please send your finished scarves to:

Handmade Especially for You c/o Leslye Borden
30065 Grandpoint Lane
Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275

If you would like me to send you free yarn, please send me your address and tell me if you prefer knitting or crocheting. And please make a donation to cover the cost of my shipping the yarn to you. You can donate through PayPal. We have a link on our website: www.handmadeespecially.org

Thanks in advance for your participation.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Leslye Borden, Founder
www.handmadeespecially.org
501(c)3 EIN: 26-3529292

If you need any other info or have other questions, please ask me. I'm easy to reach. 310 547 3673

N GA Knitting Guild Meeting

Last night I met with the North Georgia Knitting Guild to speak on behalf of our beloved charity, Knits For Needs. Naturally, I am wide awake at 4am Friday morning because I am so darned excited about how the meeting went and also about the future of KFN!

There were about 40 people in attendance, all knitting away, while I informed them about what we do here at KFN. Everyone was full of questions, ideas, and gratitude for the wonderful things we are doing together to make a difference in the lives of people in need. I was so pleasantly surprised to find that they had already collected some items for us and also made a sizable monetary donation to assist with our shipping costs! This awesome group donated: 3 super-cute knit toys (for a baby? possibly they could even be cat toys for shelter cats?), 4 hats, 2 scarves, 4 baby sets (tiny little hat & booties), and 8 bears. The bears will be donated to firemen who provide them to children affected by fire. I apologize for the lack of pictures, but, again, it is 4am and the lighting in here leaves much to be desired :)
I would like to send a huge THANK YOU out to all those in attendance for having me, for being so supportive, and for your donations! All indications point to NGKG becoming a huge contributor to our efforts!

As you know, our goal for this year is to provide 3,000 hand-knit/crocheted items to people in need. We have collected 329 items so far, so we have a long way to go, but I am confident we will reach our goal, especially since our donations pick up in the fall and winter months. If you are not sending your items in to KFN but are donating to charity on our behalf, please be sure to let me know so I can count your items.

In other news, I need a person who shares my vision about KFN who would like to brainstorm with me and help me with things I need to learn more about, such as registering as a 501(c)3, taxes, money, etc. As expected, Knits For Needs continues to grow and I need a "right-hand-man"! If you think you are the person for the "job", please let me know via email: knitsforneeds@gmail.com. Preferably, this person would be local and able to physically sit down and discuss subjects with me, but this is not a requirement.

One of the many things I love about Knits For Needs is that we take any and all knit/crocheted items and find homes for them. I feel that there are so many people (and animals!) out there who need a little love and we show it to them by taking our time and skills to reach out and let them know people care about them. Our items will not bring back someone's burned home or cure cancer, but they may just give a person the support, love, and strength they need to go on. I want to show this love to as many people as possible, so, as you know, we do not focus on particular items, but instead we collect and donate anything you knit or crochet. We WILL find homes for your items!


Have a wonderful weekend and happy knitting and crocheting! Go KFN!

Yarn, Yarn, and More Yarn!

Hello all!! I need to send out a BIG thank you to Lauren in GA. She donated a ton of yarn to Knits For Needs. Thank you so much, Lauren, your yarn will be put to great use!

On the topic of yarn, do not forget I have TONS of yarn here for the taking. If you plan to use the yarn for charity, I will send you a big box of it. I ask that you in turn make a $10 donation to KFN, which really would just cover the shipping of the box. Also, let me reiterate, the yarn is ONLY for charity projects! In addition, if you know of anyone, maybe an elderly person, who loves to knit or crochet and cannot pay for their yarn, that is also a situation we would love to help out in. Another example would be someone who is recovering from a procedure or accident and would love to be knitting or crocheting. Please let me know if you know anyone like this or if you would like to take advantage of this free yarn for your charity projects. Email us: knitsforneeds@gmail.com

Keep knitting and crocheting!!

Contest Results!

FINALLY I sat down today and drew names for our contest. Actually, my daughter's best friend Mary drew the names and we have 7 winners! As you may remember, our contest actually ended in the beginning of April - sorry for the delay! Here are our winners, in no particular order:

- Lynn in GA
- Linda in CT
- Lorraine in SC
- Nancy K
- Sweezer
- Alicia (AmGoth) in NJ

Congratulations! We have everything from yarn to patterns to books to share and I will be contacting the people who are donating our prizes over the next few days.

This is what I need from the winners: email me with your full name, home (shipping) address, your email address, and a preference for crochet or knitting in case you get a pattern. I need this info asap so we can get the prizes to you! In most cases I have your address, but email me this info just in case. (knitsforneeds@gmail.com)

Thank you for participating and for continuing to do all you do to help people in need. That is what Knits For Needs is all about! Thank you also to the people who are donating prizes - your support of our organization is so appreciated.

Also, check out our new fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Knits-For-Needs/225048020841259 Our old FB group will be archived soon and all members will be lost, so join us on this new one!

New Donation

Hello!! Yes, I am still alive... LIFE getting in the way of KFN right now, but thanks for keeping it going, and I will get more on the ball asap. Contest results are belated, but upcoming.

Thank you to Linda in CT for donating 1 blanket, 5 scarves, 6 hats, and a monetary donation to help with shipping!

Go KFN!! Have a wonderful weekend!

New Donations

Hello! It has been awhile since I updated the blog. I've been super busy with work and finally have a chance to catch everyone up on the goings-on of KFN!

We have many new donations to thank people for:

- Alicia and her mother: 38 hats, 3 blankets, 1 sweater, and 1 scarf
- quirkyvirgo: 16 blanket squares
-Lorraine in SC: 4 hats, 2 scarves, and a monetary donation
-Nancy: 8 hats, 3 scarves
- Karen in GA: 3 hats, 1 shawl, and 3 scarves

Thank you very much for all you do for people in need!! Remember, not all of these items come directly to us in Atlanta. Some of the items are ones that our members have donated to places. If you are knitting and/or crocheting and donating some of your things, let us know!!

Our current count for 2011 is: 269! Keep knitting/crocheting!!

I plan to finalize our contest winners today, so keep posted, and thanks to everyone who entered!

Knits For Needs in Action

First of all, many thanks to the following people:

Mary in GA (my mom): monetary donation (paid for all of the following shipments!)
Lynn in GA: 7 blankets, 2 blanket squares, 14 hats, 1 cowl, and 2 scarves (wow!)
Myra in IL: 12 hats, 2 scarves, 1 cute purse

Thank you all so much for your support and contributions!!! Our count of donated items is up to 183 for this year so far. Onward to 1,500!

Yesterday I spent hours and hours going through all of our things, separating them, determining where they were going, documenting, etc. I've been behind on this because, as many of you know, I just started working full-time as a pre-k teacher. I've been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years, so, as you can imagine, this has been quite the adjustment for the whole family! It feels great to have finally mailed and delivered some items out, and I'm excited to share this news with you all. Here is what I shipped/delivered yesterday:

20 prayer squares to CT
23 scarves/cowls/shawls to the rape crisis center in MD
12 hats, 1 purse, 6 pairs of socks, and 10 scarves to Timothy's Cupboard in GA
4 lap blankets to my grandmother's nursing home in GA
20 squares to Janet in KY, who collects them and turns them into blankets
(about) 50 baby items to Northside Hospital's preemies in GA (forgot to count them before I boxed them up!)

Sorry for the lack of pictures.. I left my camera at school!

For more information about Knits For Needs, please join us on the following sites:
Ravelry: Knits For Needs
Twitter: @knitsforneeds
Facebook: Knits For Needs

Also, our contest is still going strong. We have about 30 people who have entered and achieved many entries into the drawing, either by tweeting about the contest, writing about us on their blog, or donating knit/crocheted items or monetary donations. The contest ends April 1 - enter today!

Thanks again for supporting Knits For Needs. I'm excited and proud of our growth and look forward to providing more and more people with hand-knit/crocheted items made with love. Thank you for volunteering your time and skills to help those in need!

KFN in the News

I'm excited to report that we have a newspaper article written about us! Check it out! For the record, I did not use the word "needy" in that interview. She used that word that I can't stand. Also, she ended up focusing more on me than the charity as a whole, which I'm not crazy about. But, nonetheless, I'm excited about the fact that we were featured in the paper!

Also, there is more info about us on this blog: http://www.ewespecial.blogspot.com/

The word is getting out about KFN.. and you know what that means: we're getting bigger and able to help even more people! I love it!

Coming Together For People In Need

Have I mentioned how I love to find things in our PO Box before? Ok, so I have. Well, won't hurt to say it again! I LOVE finding things in our box!!! Picture me sitting here with a huge smile on my face :) Other than being up at 6am on a Sunday (I can't sleep in!), I am a super happy camper.

Many thanks to Alicia in New Jersey and her mother, Lucila, for creating and donating 26 hats! Here is what Alicia said on Ravelry: "Just mailed 8 hats out to The Ships Project and 18 hats to Operation Beanies for Service Members for a total of 26 hats :) I only made 14 of the hats, my mom made the other 12." You guys rock.

Thank you also to Bonnie, also in New Jersey, and Myra in Connecticut for sending in 5 hats each.

And, last but not least, thanks to Linda, also in CT, for sending in 3 scarves, 5 hats, and a monetary donation.

Our current count for this year is 116. Knits For Needs continues to grow, which means we are helping more people! Now I just need to get on the ball and send some things out... expect a blog post about that coming up.

Our contest is going strong. Lots of people have several entries into the drawing for prizes, through either tweeting about the contest or sending things in. And one person has 5 entries for writing a blog post about us! The contest ends April 1st, so get those things in and spread the word.

I heart KFN! Happy Sunday!

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!

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!