Charity Links

Handmade with Love
We can't fix everything but each one of us can help someone somewhere.

Together, we can
MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Below are the names of local efforts (southern Louisiana, in the Katrina affected area of New Orleans and surrounding locales) and a few others that I have come to know through the years.
Click on the link below for more information and a link to the charity effort itself.

Note: Some donations are tax deductible. Check IRS publication 78 list of tax exempt charities.
There are, of course, many efforts out there that are not tax exempt but still need your help.

Scarves for Vets - Knit Your Bit

Knit Your Bit FAQ
Knit Your Bit web page

You can find my Knit Your Bit scarf patterns in my charity patterns section.

Details:
Sponsored By: D-Day National WWII Museum in New Orleans, LA

Recipients: Veterans in Veteran Centers across the United States

Deadline: ongoing project

Pattern: There is a pattern provided on the KYB web site for knit and for crochet (and I have the ones above at my blog), but you may use any pattern you like that is not gender specific. They need more scarves for men than for women.

Color: Any color that can be worn by a man as most will go to men. Women will wear men colors but men would likely balk at wearing a pink, furry scarf. LOL

Sandie's thoughts:
red, white and blue; greens such as olive, hunter or sage green; tans and browns; dark reds like claret, burgundy, maroon; blues like wedgewood, true blue, royal blue, navy blue; grey
There is a variegated yarn called camouflage that comes in the green/black and also the lighter desert camouflage in tans. These colors can be matched with a cream, white, or buff.

Size: from 6-8" wide and at least 60" long but may be longer

Yarn: any (worsted, chunky, bulky or whatever) but I wouldn't use the furs as that is rather feminine. If you use wool be sure to label it as such with special washing instructions

Packaging: Just place them in any box or envelope that you want. Please include your return information. I will then include a card stating your first name, last initial and where you are from. For example, my scarf says: Lauren H. New Orleans, LA.

You may include a note to the veterans if you wish. Address to "Dear Veteran”.

Mail completed scarves to:
The National World War II Museum
Knit Your Bit Campaign
945 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Local opportunities to help
(Southern Louisiana - tell them Sandie Petit at Crochet Cabana sent you.)

Nursing Homes
Luling Living Center (lapghans)
1125 Paul Maillard Rd
Luling, LA 70070
(985) 785-8271

Raceland Manor Nursing Home (lapghans)
In Memory of my Dad, Austin Stevens (b. 1-1920, d. 12-2007)
4302 Hwy. 1
Raceland, LA 70394
(985) 537-3569

Homeless and Transitional Housing

Baptist Friendship House
BFH is a transitional housing program for women and children. Since Katrina, BFH has been housing teams to help people clean out their homes and rebuild their lives. Transitional housing programs will be reinstated in March 2007. They can use crochet and knitting supplies as one of the things they teach are craft skills. They are tax exempt and listed in Publication 78 at www.irs.gov for charitable donations.
Kay Bennett, Director
Karina America, Assistant Director
813 Elysian Fields Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70117
504-949-4469

Catholic Charities (New Orleans homeless - scarves, hats, mittens, twin size ghans)
Michell M. Brown
2407 Baronne St, New
Orleans, LA 70113

Covenant House (New Orleans homeless - scarves, hats, mittens, ghans focusing on teens)
They are listed in Publication 78 at www.irs.gov for charitable donations.
Stacy Horn Koch, Executive Director
611 North Rampart Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Community Center for Life (La. Crisis Pregnancy)

General Charity Links
Generally speaking, I am working on getting these charities in order. Some links no longer worked and I noticed I had several links to chapters of the same parent organization. I have changed that. In other words, if you are part of Project Linus, I will have a link to Project Linus main site, not all the chapters.

Ongoing Support
Bev's Charity Crafting Challenge
(this is NOT a charity, but a group where you can be encouraged and keep track of your charity giving)

I have separated the charities below into Tax Exempt and Not Tax Exempt, so far as I could determine. This could change, of course, and I will not be checking each one, so if you learn a charity is now tax exempt, is no longer tax exempt, or if I have it incorrectly identified, please feel free to let me know. This is not to say either is more or less important. It is just a help to those to whom finances might be an issue.

Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."