Faith Mission accomplishing with your Help

Folks been a few days since I've posted, am still trying to play catch up after being out of town for about 10 days. PLEASE stay tuned for more beautiful thoughtful donations from your caring hands. I have boxes to open, photographs to take and blog posts to write; hoping to get rollin this afternoon.

I wanted to share this sweet email with you, as it's directed to all of you who've helped with your donated knitted, loomed, and or crocheted items throughout these past couple of years. Congratulations to each and everyone of you, and please keep up the good work!
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Dear Sandy and ALL the donors to Bridge and Beyond:

My name is Becki Duncan and I am a volunteer at Faith Mission in Columbus, Ohio. About a year ago I found information online about Bridge and Beyond. I had been knitting scarves and wanted to donate them, but I wasn't sure where to do that. When I read about Bridge and Beyond it was exactly what I had been looking for and I boxed up my scarves and sent them to Sandy. At about the same time I started volunteering at Faith Mission. So I have been lucky enough to see the direct impact that items made with so much love can have on those affected by homelessness. I just want all of you to know how much your ongoing donations and support of Faith Mission mean to everyone here. Not only the clients, but the staff and volunteers as well. At a time when there are so many people faced with unimaginable challenges, it only takes a small gesture to make all the difference in the world.

One of my favorite quotes is "Be the change you want to see in the world". Thanks to all of you for doing just that.

Much love to you all,

Becki Duncan

2011 Donations:

Scarves 246
Hats 510
Mitts 117
Socks 90
Squares 357+20=377
Rain Ponchos 58
Cotton Washcloths 275
Sweaters 5
Slippers 68
Afghans 31 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)

We often knit and crochet and loom for people we do not know personally, and will never meet, and we don't see them wearing our warm items, but..........they are received with open arms and so very much needed and appreciated. Thank you Becki for taking time to communicate with us.

We're a third of the way through our current month of August and it's focus of warm hats for Men, keep your hooks and needles flying.

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!

Square this, not Math

Square this, makes me think way back to school days and math class. Argh...math class not a favorite for me. This however is different, this talk of squares gets me very excited. My math teachers would probably be pleased to know I do use some of the math I learned from them when I put together beautifully made squares from you all to make afghans for those in need. These fabulous squares are from Jennifer S, in Ohio. 20 fun squares here that will make my job of assembly fun, easy and. Many thanks Jennifer for your wonderful and thoughtful donation. Keep up the good work. It's greatly appreciated.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 246
Hats 510
Mitts 117
Socks 90
Squares 357+20=377
Rain Ponchos 58
Cotton Washcloths 275
Sweaters 5
Slippers 68
Afghans 31 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)

August's focus is hats for men. Hats for men who are homeless (our Bridge folks), men who are homeless (through Faith Mission), Men living in temporary housing through the family shelter. Think dark male appropriate colors, and adult sizing.

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!

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!