Well said, Louise! I use my stash to knit stuff for a local group who sell things to raise money for the air ambulance, or give them to a charity shop. Not many airmiles in that! (apart from the air ambulance of course..☺️ Just trying to raise a Monday morning smile!)
Thank you, Louise, this is so true. I have family in Asheville and while there have been and will be many needs, it’s clean water and hot meals that are so helpful right now. There are a number of worthy non-profit orgs on the ground filling these needs who could use monetary donations. If I may, World Central Kitchen led by chef José Andres is doing amazing work. 💜
Thank you for this reminder. I have bought gift cards from an Asheville, NC yarn shop for them to gift local people. They are who suggested it on their website. (Their shop survived but they have work to do).
This way the shop gets money and they know who and when to disburse them. If anyone is interested, I can post the website here if allowed.
They have added a link to their website other places to donate if you’re interested.
I wasn’t clear how to designate gift cards for people I don’t know, so I asked them. They said after you order the gift cards, you get an email. Then when you forward it to their email. I said in my forwarded emails to give them to whoever needs them.
I bought yarn from her last week, focusing on locally sourced yarn. If you check her Facebook page -- https://www.facebook.com/purlsyarnemporium -- she's also highlighting other businesses in the area and ways for folk to help.
This is so true. I live in the town where the Sandy Hook School tragedy took place. Two of my daughters were working in the school system at the time - one as a bus driver who helped get children home that day and the other who was a student teacher at another school in town and was in lockdown in her classroom with her kids. In the days following, my student teacher daughter was helping office staff when a truckload of American Girl Dolls arrived. She called me in tears, saying it was such a nice gesture and they knew the sender meant well, but they had no idea what to do with them! Our desire to rush in to help in the face of tragedies that make us feel so helpless is strong and it’s a good impulse. However, it’s often better to pause and consider what would truly be most useful before we act.
Goodness, yes. This is so true. Donations come from such a strong desire to help and be of service don’t they, it’s just making sure we do so in a way that doesn’t cause more problems.
Oh Louise - I work as the finance director of a charity and I could hug you right now. I would never undervalue the kindness and generosity of anyone that wants to give but if you ask us what we need the honest answer is almost always money. As well as logistical challenges, dropping too many donated goods into some situations has unintended consequences such as harming local markets and small businesses or creating environmental issues.
My son helped out with sorting donations for a Ukrainian aid charity a while ago and it was a logistical nightmare. The people involved ended up so swamped by well meant donations that they had to appeal to the local sixth form to lend them students for a few days.
And often I think people really underestimate how long it takes to actually knit the things. It’s not many of us that have a stash of appropriate beanie hats (for example) waiting to go.
I don't understand people who think that money won't make it to where it is needed, but somehow goods will? I remember decades ago that Australia donated an enormous amount of rice to a famine-struck country (unfortunately, I can't remember the country, but it probably doesn't matter).
Some rice was stolen and sold to anyone in the country that had money, while the rest of the rice rotted on the wharf. None made it to starving people. We've largely stopped doing that - if we donate food, it's only to recognised aid agencies, or we deliver it ourselves.
Thank you for this reminder! I am reading that many of the victims are just trying to find clean water and food. Many are trapped in their homes because of downed trees. In addition to donations, I also encourage people support creatives and small businesses in the region by donating directly to them or purchasing goods (if that is an option).
Thank you. It can be an emotive issue to tackle - sometimes people think it's uncaring but really the impact of receiving so much donated 'stuff' can be a real burden on relief efforts.
I agree with you 100% I usually ask the people in the ground directly what help they may need. I think people shy away from cash donations because of poor publicity regarding where and who the money will actually go to.
Going back years, before the freedom in Estonia, my family would put together aid packages and tea chests. The money never made it to our families. The care packages were always opened and items stolen but they received so much more than if we sent cash. That was a long time ago. I think now, I would only send money.
My son volunteered to sort through donations for Ukraine at the start of the war there. People were donating bags of nappies, which were fine but so bulky and took up precious van space. Monetary donations were vastly preferred so they could be bought nearer to where they were needed.
Well said. I donate monthly monetary amounts to relief agencies and add one off donations when disaster relief is required. Otherwise I direct my charitable knitting to annual ‘sock quest’ for Marie Curie, the aim is to provide all their hospice patients at Christmas with a pair of hand knit socks (preferably in daffodil yellow, thair emblem).
Oh yes, you've reminded me that I think some "daffodil yellow" yarn somewhere. I meant to get it on the needles ready for the next round of Marie Curie socks
Hi, Louise, As someone who lives in Florida, although thankfully not impacted by the Hurricane, I can agree that knitted items are not the answer. No one in Florida would use a knitted item. If people want to knit items for charity, they should knit hats and blankets for the homeless in their own community.
Very well written. I sent handknit items in response to a charity call from across the country a few years ago and totally felt the same. Shipping costs were high. Donating money would have been better in so many ways.
Thanks so much. I've family and friends down there, and - as much as I love knitting and knitted items - if I heard that someone gave them handknits when it's been hard enough to get in clean water and necessities, I might blow my top. NC put out a request last week to stay off the roads to not impede the transport of necessities and to hopefully not overtax the surviving roads.
Anyway, sorry for the mini rant. I greatly appreciated reading your piece.
Not at all, it’s great to hear the perspective from someone closer to it than I am. And yes, it’s so easy to think we are helping when actually we are just making conditions harder for the relief efforts.
Well said, Louise! I use my stash to knit stuff for a local group who sell things to raise money for the air ambulance, or give them to a charity shop. Not many airmiles in that! (apart from the air ambulance of course..☺️ Just trying to raise a Monday morning smile!)
That's such a great idea - fundraising and actually using our talents to raise money for charities is often such an overlooked way of helping.
Thank you, Louise, this is so true. I have family in Asheville and while there have been and will be many needs, it’s clean water and hot meals that are so helpful right now. There are a number of worthy non-profit orgs on the ground filling these needs who could use monetary donations. If I may, World Central Kitchen led by chef José Andres is doing amazing work. 💜
Thank you for this reminder. I have bought gift cards from an Asheville, NC yarn shop for them to gift local people. They are who suggested it on their website. (Their shop survived but they have work to do).
This way the shop gets money and they know who and when to disburse them. If anyone is interested, I can post the website here if allowed.
Oh, please do
Thank you, Louise.
They have added a link to their website other places to donate if you’re interested.
I wasn’t clear how to designate gift cards for people I don’t know, so I asked them. They said after you order the gift cards, you get an email. Then when you forward it to their email. I said in my forwarded emails to give them to whoever needs them.
Here’s their website:
https://purlsyarn.com/
They are quick to respond and appreciative.
I bought yarn from her last week, focusing on locally sourced yarn. If you check her Facebook page -- https://www.facebook.com/purlsyarnemporium -- she's also highlighting other businesses in the area and ways for folk to help.
This is so true. I live in the town where the Sandy Hook School tragedy took place. Two of my daughters were working in the school system at the time - one as a bus driver who helped get children home that day and the other who was a student teacher at another school in town and was in lockdown in her classroom with her kids. In the days following, my student teacher daughter was helping office staff when a truckload of American Girl Dolls arrived. She called me in tears, saying it was such a nice gesture and they knew the sender meant well, but they had no idea what to do with them! Our desire to rush in to help in the face of tragedies that make us feel so helpless is strong and it’s a good impulse. However, it’s often better to pause and consider what would truly be most useful before we act.
Goodness, yes. This is so true. Donations come from such a strong desire to help and be of service don’t they, it’s just making sure we do so in a way that doesn’t cause more problems.
Oh Louise - I work as the finance director of a charity and I could hug you right now. I would never undervalue the kindness and generosity of anyone that wants to give but if you ask us what we need the honest answer is almost always money. As well as logistical challenges, dropping too many donated goods into some situations has unintended consequences such as harming local markets and small businesses or creating environmental issues.
My son helped out with sorting donations for a Ukrainian aid charity a while ago and it was a logistical nightmare. The people involved ended up so swamped by well meant donations that they had to appeal to the local sixth form to lend them students for a few days.
So true! I always am wary of appeals for knitted items
And often I think people really underestimate how long it takes to actually knit the things. It’s not many of us that have a stash of appropriate beanie hats (for example) waiting to go.
I don't understand people who think that money won't make it to where it is needed, but somehow goods will? I remember decades ago that Australia donated an enormous amount of rice to a famine-struck country (unfortunately, I can't remember the country, but it probably doesn't matter).
Some rice was stolen and sold to anyone in the country that had money, while the rest of the rice rotted on the wharf. None made it to starving people. We've largely stopped doing that - if we donate food, it's only to recognised aid agencies, or we deliver it ourselves.
Thank you for this reminder! I am reading that many of the victims are just trying to find clean water and food. Many are trapped in their homes because of downed trees. In addition to donations, I also encourage people support creatives and small businesses in the region by donating directly to them or purchasing goods (if that is an option).
Brilliant article.
Thank you. It can be an emotive issue to tackle - sometimes people think it's uncaring but really the impact of receiving so much donated 'stuff' can be a real burden on relief efforts.
I agree with you 100% I usually ask the people in the ground directly what help they may need. I think people shy away from cash donations because of poor publicity regarding where and who the money will actually go to.
Going back years, before the freedom in Estonia, my family would put together aid packages and tea chests. The money never made it to our families. The care packages were always opened and items stolen but they received so much more than if we sent cash. That was a long time ago. I think now, I would only send money.
My son volunteered to sort through donations for Ukraine at the start of the war there. People were donating bags of nappies, which were fine but so bulky and took up precious van space. Monetary donations were vastly preferred so they could be bought nearer to where they were needed.
Well said. I donate monthly monetary amounts to relief agencies and add one off donations when disaster relief is required. Otherwise I direct my charitable knitting to annual ‘sock quest’ for Marie Curie, the aim is to provide all their hospice patients at Christmas with a pair of hand knit socks (preferably in daffodil yellow, thair emblem).
Oh yes, you've reminded me that I think some "daffodil yellow" yarn somewhere. I meant to get it on the needles ready for the next round of Marie Curie socks
Hi, Louise, As someone who lives in Florida, although thankfully not impacted by the Hurricane, I can agree that knitted items are not the answer. No one in Florida would use a knitted item. If people want to knit items for charity, they should knit hats and blankets for the homeless in their own community.
Very well written. I sent handknit items in response to a charity call from across the country a few years ago and totally felt the same. Shipping costs were high. Donating money would have been better in so many ways.
Thanks so much. I've family and friends down there, and - as much as I love knitting and knitted items - if I heard that someone gave them handknits when it's been hard enough to get in clean water and necessities, I might blow my top. NC put out a request last week to stay off the roads to not impede the transport of necessities and to hopefully not overtax the surviving roads.
Anyway, sorry for the mini rant. I greatly appreciated reading your piece.
Not at all, it’s great to hear the perspective from someone closer to it than I am. And yes, it’s so easy to think we are helping when actually we are just making conditions harder for the relief efforts.
Thank you for this reminder