If you read our blog on a regular basis you know we help many groups. We donate our hand knit and crocheted items to 2 family shelters (The YWCA, The Homeless Families Shelter), we donate our items to 2 free clinics (that care for women and children on the West Side of town), we donate our items to Holy Family (who passes out items to those in need along with a hot meal). Lynn the lady who delivers our items to Holy Family during her volunteer hours also distributes our items to several other areas in need. One such location is Broad Street Elementary School who's children have great need. Many who attend are in fact homeless, many in dire circumstance. It's very difficult to obtain a necessary education when you cold, and hungry and fearful about where you'll be sleeping the night. Though I know we can't take care of all their needs, we can make an important difference with warm hats, scarves, and mittens for these kids.
Here's a nice note from the principal I wanted to share with you all. AND add my thanks to you, for all the work you do.
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West Broad Elementary
2744 West Broad St.
Columbus, Oh 43204
CCS Mission: Each student is highly educated, prepared for leadership and service, and empowered for success as a citizen in a global community.
October 14, 2011
To Our Friends at Bridge and Beyond,
On behalf of our students and staff, I would like to extend our sincerest gratitude for your donated hats and gloves. Our students are often deprived of clothes and essentials at home and the burden of supplying materials for all of our students becomes very costly. Your generosity and kindness will bring smiles to many students. Those students that receive your materials will surely be grateful and appreciative. It eases the minds of those students that are not prepared with warm clothes to be given them during the cold winter season. I am impressed with your dedication to the children and the neighborhood.
Again, I thank you, my staff thanks you, and most of all, the students thank you.
Sincerely,
Pete Kurty, Principal
and
The staff and students of
West Broad Elementary School
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*this is a cut and paste of an email attachment I received, so the spacing is a little off, but I wanted you all to see it*
Highland Elementary School is another school in need that our friend Lynn made a delivery too. Additionally, some donations went to St. Vincent DePaul in Vinton County. Vinton County is one of 29 counties in the state that fall into the Appalachian area. These area's are the poorest in the state. I am hoping donations will continue at such a level that we can continue to spread our wings like this and go "beyond". Vinton is in the brown area when you look at the above map. Franklin, is the county where our clinics, shelters, and Bridge folks are ...that's the orange area.
Asking everyone who reads this today....Please tell at least one person about our cause. Tell them in person, tell them in an email, tell them about it through Facebook, your blog, Twitter. Thank you!
October is mitten month, let's see if we can boast those numbers, still a little bit of time left in the month; though please remember..........we collect them all year long.
November's focus will, Jack Otis Memorial Month, please keep checking in (men will be the focus).
2011 Donations:
Scarves 355 Hats 735Mitts 142 Socks 135 Squares 515Rain Ponchos 84Cotton Washcloths 324Sweaters/Poncho's 7 Slippers 90 Afghans 40 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)Misc Items I've not counted misc items like all the personal care items, the neck warmers, head bands or yarn etc.
**Reminders:
Include a note with your donation
Do not tie and cut when changing yarn, leave several inches and weave in your ends
Avoid open lacy stitches, general rule of thumb if you can poke your finger throw the stitches, they aren't as warm as they could be.
Avoid white as much as possible, shows dirt too easily
Lots of info in FAQ and Before you donate
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!
While at Sams the other day I picked up another pack of 12 socks for Bridge folks. Socks are always in need, summer, winter, spring and fall. Cold wet feet make everyone miserable so the need is on going.
