Where to Donate Your Charity Crafting Treasures

Lapghan for Wheel Chair Use in Leftover Yarns

I wasn't planning to cover where to donate your handmade treasures for the needy, but Sherry posted a comment on a recent post, asking for this info. This is putting the cart before the horse. I had planned to discuss what to make before I shared ideas on where to distribute it, but here goes...

As Sherry pointed out, most organized charities have strict guidelines and requirements. For this reason, our own group decided to focus on local groups who didn't already have folks helping them. It took our group months to find the right place for each of our things. However, we have learned a few things along the way and hopefully this will shorten your own learning curve.

For items for the homeless (scarves, gloves, hats), call a few nearby churches or agencies (Jewish, community, etc.). Many have frequent and direct contact with the homeless and will be thrilled to distribute your items. The larger and more obvious destinations (Catholic Charities, Salvation Army) were our first tries, though. We found that to be very difficult because we had to drop off in rather risky parts of town and that's when we decided to go completely local. We reasoned that many of the homeless were located in our own area and probably were unlikely to be able to get to these larger centers anyway. Our biggest concern was the fear of having someone accept our donations and then give them to a thrift shop for re-sale. We make our items with love, plain and simple as they are, and we want to visualize them on someone in immediate need. I'm afraid I was a pest whenever I questioned a possible recipient agency or church.

For shawls and lap-throws/lapghans, call a few nearby nursing homes or long-term care centers. It might take a few calls, but take your time. Finding the right person to talk to at each place takes patience, too, but it is worth it. We found that the person in charge of social services was usually the easiest and most logical person to deal with in these facilities. Also, we began asking what their percentage was of long-term care versus short-stay residents. We preferred homes with over fifty percent long-term care because we wanted to comfort those who were most likely to never go home again. We felt these folks needed our love more than someone who would eventually be released.

Preemies are the most difficult because each one has its own needs and standards. It took us two years to find the right preemie ward. One hospital wanted only outfits, so they could use them for burials for the unfortunate babies. Another wanted hats and caps in a specific size. We ended up with them because they were happy to let us come by with several sizes. I waited while the director of volunteer services went up to the ward and the staff tried them on. They came back and we used their final decision for our sample. I'll discuss other issues with preemie items in a special post, soon.

I hope these suggestions, and our experiences, help you.