Dare to be Square, it's Cool

Thank Bunny for your on going support of our cause. Bunny has been knitting, crocheting, and donating to Ohio's Homeless since the beginning of this blog and this project. I'm very grateful for her support, her skilled hands, her big heart, and her friendship.

A cute knitted hat and 8 squares are pictured above, all will be put to good use, as always.

August is typically a hot month around the country and so it may be hard to think warm, but in our continuing effort to stay ahead of the need, we're doing just that. We're thinking warm hats, warm hats, suitable color and size for adult men. Men who live outdoors need warm hats about 9 months of the year in this area of the country. Some of the hats collected during our August focus will go to our Bridge People when Rae prepares and takes food to them on Sat mornings, others will go to Faith Mission to distribute when men come and go with a nights lodging, and others will go to The Family Shelter I've begun to mention that house 50 families.

Think dark colors, and naturally nothing lacy or open.

2011 Donations

Scarves 246
Hats 509 +1=510
Mittens 117
Socks 90
Squares 349+8=357
Washcloths 275
Sweaters 5
Slippers 68
Afghans 31 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Donated Squares and Blankets for those in Need

Two cute fleece blanets that have been decorated with a crocheted edge. The kids will love these, warm, soft and cute. How cleaver Jen J from Mass. Click to enlarge the picture so you can see her edge.
18 squares that will make there way into a ghan to comfort and warm someone in need at either Faith Mission or the new family shelter (keep checking in to read more about it). Squares of a variety of sizes and colors, some knit and some crocheted. In addition Jen donated a hat, and a cowl...the cowl is particularly nice, please click to see it's detail.

Many thanks Jen for your thoughtful donation. It's very much appreciated.

Received a good number of squares during the focus month of July and now here we are in August. Where does the time go? August's focus will be hats, hats for men. Think large, warm, and dark colors appropriate for men living outdoors in the elements and those that get a night here and there in a shelter.

*Edited this post, as I got Jen S (Jennifer)from Ohio and Jen from Mass mixed up in my posts.
2011 Donations
Scarves 246
Hats 508+1=509
Mittens 117
Socks 90
Ghans 29+2=31 (2 went to our friends at Pine Street)
Squares 331+18=349
ponchos (rain ponchos) 58
Cotton Wash Cloths 275

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Cotton is clean and comforting

Thank you missilebird (RAV), Jen for these 5 cotton washcloths and fleece hat. Very much appreciate your on going support for Ohio's Homeless and those in need.

A cotton cloth ? Someone asked me the other day, as I was knitted what's all the fuss about a cotton cloth. The brief version is of course people need washcloths to get clean. But, those of us who knit and crochet and donate understand it's so much more then that. Yes, you get clean with a cotton cloth (June's focus), but you also know someone made something special just for you. Cotton is comforting, tired, hot or cold skin.......skin that's been out in the elements, skin that doesn't have the advantage of daily baths and showers needs to be treated kindly. Hand knit and hand crochet cotton washcloths do just that.

Thanks to all who continue to use their time, their energy, their skills, and the money to knit and crochet to help others. You are AWESOME!

2011 Donations
Scarves 246
Hats 507+1=508
Mittens 117
Socks 90
Afghans 29 (2 of which went to our friends at Pine Street)
Squares 331
Poncho's 58
Cotton Washcloths 270+5=275

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Extreme Condtions hard on the Homeless

Homeless have it hard regardless of the season, winter months they deal with ice, sleet, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures. Summer can present the opposite problems. We've been kniting, crocheting and donating hats, scarves, mittens, slippers, and other warm items to help the homeless and those without or very little heat during 3 seasons, Spring (which can still have freezing temperatures in this state), fall (which be frosty), and the brutal winter. Our dear friend and long time supporter, Bunny got to thinking about how hot it's been and how much we all rely on our air conditioners with these extreme heat indexes and came up with the above item. These are cool ties. These need to be soaked in water and will last up to several days to provide some cooling when warm around the neck. These are used by our military in extreme conditions.

Our other good friend Sandie in Louisiana has a link with directions where people who sew can make these cool ties. I'm hopeful obtaining the water to activate these is doable and have put forth that question to our friend, Rae who deliveries our goods to The Bridge Folks when she takes them meals. Stay tuned for more information regarding this idea. Many thanks Bunny for your creative thinking.
All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Hitting the jackpot with donations for Ohio's Homeless

Look at this wonderful donation from Kim in Washington. It's fabulous. Beautifully made hats, and scarves...soft and warm, and a wonderful selection of colors too. Kim is our newest pair of helping hands and is our first person to represent the state of Washington. Or at least our first since I started documenting where people were from on our map. I don't want to overlook if you donated previously and are from the state....please sing out. Love to get everyone properly documented on our map below. If you've not checked out it, please do.

Many thanks Kim for your wonderful donation, we're thrilled to have your helping hands helping us with this sad problem of homeless people, and others in need.

Only 2 days more days folks for squares, our July focus...then onto August were we'll be focused on hats for men. Remember, while we do highlight an item monthly all items are collected all year long...except squares. Squares need to be specific to the month they are highlighted. We have a working calendar above if you'd like to see what's up and coming.

2011 Donations
Scarves 231+ 15=246
hats 468+ 39=507
mittens 117
socks 90
ghans 29 (2 donated previously to Pine Street)
Squares 331
Sweaters 5
Poncho's 58

Adding the state of Washington to our map gives us a percentage of 60% with 30 states being representated. Pretty awesome over half the country is helping the cause.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Fun, Funky, and Fabulous with some Frills

Fun....check
Funky.....double check, see those stripes hats with the curly decorations?
Fabulous, see the bright colored warmly knitted hat with ties?
Frills, see the lacy hats with scalloped edges decorated with flowers?

These 12 hats were both knitted (striped hats and hat with tie), and crocheted (all lacy ones) and donated by Bridget in Michigan for Ohio's homeless. The lacy hats are small and I think will work for some of the girls to wear indoors and look stylish. Everyone feels good, or at least better when they look stylish and these kids can surely use a lift.

Thank you Bridget for your thoughtful donation. I particularly loved the knitted curly ques for hat decorations...........kids love fun hats.

**3 more days for squares, then onto Hats for Men, warm hats, dark colors best for men is our August focus**

2011 Donations:

Scarves 231
Hats 456+12=468
Mittens (gloves) 117
Socks 90
Slippers 68
Ghans 29 (2 went to Pine Street Earlier)
Squares 331
Sweaters 5
Ponchos 58
Cotton Washcloths 270


**Please find your name on the lists in the right hand sidebar. Is a state listed by your name? Still many unknowns. Please leave a comment with your name and state so records can be updated....and we can update our map at the bottom of the page. We've not had an update in quite some time to it. Currently records indicate donations have come from 29 different states for a percentage of 58. I'm willing to bet some of the good folks who've donated come from some of the other states. Please take a look.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!