Homeless Need Socks

Socks!  Nothing fancy, but oh so very very necessary, so needed and so appreciated.  When  you have cold wet feet, you are miserable.  Think of folks out in the elements, or those in shelters waiting on buses...warming them with clean dry socks is truly essential and can make a difference in their health as well.

Came up with some interesting facts about socks doing several google searches.  Socks are needed to absorb sweat, the foot is the heaviest producer of sweat in your bdy and can produce 0.25 pints of perspiration a day.  Wow.  Wearing socks can decreased the danger of frostbite in cold temperatures.

The earlierst example of socks comes from Egypt.  They are on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum from excavations from Oxyrhynchus.  They are split toes, so that the socks  could be worn with sandals.

At times in history animal skins were tied around the foot at the ankle, matted animal hair was also used for added warmth.  In the 5th century "puttees" were worn by Europeans, by Holy people.  The word puttees, meaning pure.  Some time later, socks were worn by the wealthy, by nobility.

In 1589 with the invention of the knitting machine socks could be made 6 times faster then hand knit socks, but hand knitted socks and machine knitted socks were equals through the 1800's.

Socks are an item anyone can donate, you don't need to be a knitter or a crocheter to donate.  Socks are collected and donated from primarily men, some women.  The need for children and teens is not as great.  Socks should be store bought vs knitted or crocheted.

Donated Socks:
2011......333
2012......281 (-52 less then previous year
2013......415 (+134 more then previous year
2014......199 (-82 less then previous year

average 307 which is 108 less pairs then we donated in 2014.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Searching Bridge and Beyond

Have you noticed or used the search feature here on the blog?  You can insert your name for example and find all the posts where your donations have been blogged about.  The search feature works by sorting the tags I use when I write a blog post.  So, generally your name, the items you donated will appear as tags.  Likewise if you want to look at all the posts about slippers, insert the word slipper in your search.

I like to point that out from time to time, so you all can get the most of the blog.  Take  time, look around.  Maybe you want to review the blog post about Homeless Families Foundation,simply put that in the search window.

The beautiful tree has nothing to do with homeless, nothing to do with Bridge and Beyond, but isn't it beautiful.  I believe from memory, I took this picture one day while on a walk....just because it made me smile.  With snow, freezing rain and cold cold temps around the country...thought you might enjoy something from Spring.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Nothing Ordinary about Cotton Washcloths.

These washcloths are crocheted, but remember we also collect and donate knitted ones.  I've not crocheted any, but do enjoy knitting them.  I find the cotton bothers my hands far less with knitting then with crocheting; but ...it's a personal thing, whic is nice and gives us much variety....another plus.

Washcloths are a perfect small item to work on, to toss in your purse and have something almost anywhere or anytime to work on.

Trying to find some history behind washcloths are came up pretty dry.  The defination says a washcloth is a small absorbent cloth used for cleaning, be it an item, or a person.  It says the texture in a washcloth is good for exfoliating vs washing with your hands only, or a cloth that's so smooth there is no texture to it.

I stumbled onto a blog written by a young Black Male who says washcloths, the use of them is a racial issue.  Huh?  I said outloud as I reading his blog.  He explains he knows only Black people use them and White people don't and why hasn't anyone discussed the racial issue of washcloths!  His blog is quite entertaining I might add, and he has a HUGE following and the comments were also entertaining.  He also discusses how dirty a washcloth is, people indicate you use them once and themn you launder them.  Seriously, there were almost 50 comments on his entertaining blog about washcloths.  AND there were many people identifying themselves as Black who don't use as well as those indentifying themselves as Whites who do, so that pretty much decided the debate wasn't in need of futher research and investigation.  LOL.  How creative some folks are.

Throughout the years our numbers of donated cotton (knit and crocheted) washcloths has grown and they are always items well received.  They are used both as washcloths and as dishcloths.  There are used when people first come to the shelter with very little personal care products, they're put in the Welcome Home Packs when folks leave the shelters for permanet housing, and our folks under the bridges also use them.

At the close of 2013 I asked if folks were trying to decide between making a hat, or scarf or washcloth to please opt for the items that would keep people warm....the greater need.  Because of that naturally our numbers fell.  I'm ok with that.  That's not to say we don't need or want cotton washcloths, or that you shouldn't make and donate them.

Donation Totals:

2011......289
2012......577 (+288 more then previous year
2013......784 (+207 more then previous year
2014......334 (-243 less then previous year

AVERAGE  496 which is 162 more then our last year.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Knitted and Crocheted Slippers

Pictured are slipper/socks.  We knit and crochet and donate many different styles of slippers.  Slippers provide extra warmth, and give folks a chance to wash their socks and still have something on their feet.  Many homeless and those living in shelters have few socks so the slippers can truly be a necessity for them.  If they've been outside in the cold and wet during the day and get a bed for the night in a temporary shelter, it gives them the ability to put something dry on their feet while their shoes and or socks dry out.

I didn't find a great deal of information regarding the history of slippers in my google search,  but what I did find was interesting.  It's believed the date back to the times of Sultans and their harems.  Slippers were a symbol of captivity.  One really couldn't run away without proper footwear, and since slippers were typically very light weight with little to protect the foot and or where slippery, they weren't something even a loveable concubine would attempt on cobblestones.  Slippers moved from The East to Medieval Europe and often were a sign of nobility.

Slippers were made initially to be fancy, made of delicate fabric and only became a true shoe replacement in later years.  Nowdays some folks wear slippers indoors instead of shoes, feeling it's cleaner; but there's also a great safety concern that people should not wear slippers instead of shoes as their feet aren't protected from injury and the number of folks who fall because wearing slippers vs shoes caused them to fall has been reported in medical communities.

Our Donated Slipper Counts:
2011......128
2012......153 (+25 more then the previous year
2013......220 (+67 more then the previous year
2014......121 (-32 less then the previous year.

AVERAGE for those 4 years is 155 pairs of slippers which  is  34 more then our most recent total.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Traveling Afghan in the Works

This is Pink Persuation, it was designed long ago and has been waiting in the wings to  assembled.  It traveled with me to South Carolina.  I tossed off white in the project bag to edge and join it.  I think given the size, it probably needs 2 rows around each square, or maybe one double crochet row with a wider border around the whole thing when finished.  Will see how it shapes up .

I'm also continuing to work on the knitting stripes afghan, making some progress since the last picture you saw.  Atttemped to post an updated picture here for you all, but apparently I can't use the photo on the phone without adding yet another ap to the phone and one to the computer.  ARgh...plus since I'm typing this from my ipad....loading to the computer isn't possible,  and there isn't a way to post a picture from the ipad directly, or if there is I am unaware of how to do it.

Hope you're all busy working on something, as it seems more cold weather and snow is expected around the country.




All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

First Donation for the Homeless in 2015

 Thank you, Thank you Sandra R from Florida for this awesome donation of knitted goodies.  Sandra has such talented fingers.  Her knitted warm items are always beautifully made.  Special thanks for always tagging your hats with size Sandra, you know how I appreciate that.  AND you all know I'm dancing for joy because she's one of our stellar mitten makers.  Look at those cute cute gray children's mittens in the lower right corner, and the nice pink pair that match a hat!

Clapping for more mittens off Sandra's needles, tied together and sized.  You rock!  She's made several different sizes so many many head and hands of different sizes will be warmer.

Sandra's been a long time and very generous supporter.  She often includes sunshine in her box to help ease the cold we experience here in Central Ohio, if only I could share that with our homeless....if only.
This is our first donation of the New Year!  Way to go Sandra.

2015 Donations:
Hats: 10
Scarves:
Mittens: 10
Slippers:
Rain Poncho's:
Cotton Washcloths:
Afghans:
Socks:
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves:
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above


All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.