o*m*g*... I cannot believe this is so f***ing complicated!

Alright, here's the thing, I need some help and do believe this is the best forum to post this in... Mods, if it ain't, then please move to wherever you think is best, I could be wrong...

Anyway, the reason why I'm posting this here is that over the last few months, for those of you who may remember, I've been asking for handmade (knit or crochet) hats + other items for charity. I had exchanged a few emails with staff from UNICEF, and that's where the hats were going to go. Once I've collected all my hats (excellent collection btw, thanks for all your help) and the box was ready to go, I wrote UNICEF to let them know that my care package was going to be sent by the end of the week.

Well, wouldn'tcha know, they wrote me back saying that they weren't looking for material donations, only financial. Reason being, in a nutshell, it's less expensive to transfer money donations to needy countries rather than boxes of clothes. So, they weren't going to accept the donation that we all helped to make.

Disappointed and a little aggrivated, I surfed around the 'net + went through my knitting mags looking for charities that were collecting warm clothes. I really want this box of knits to go to a third world country, where they don't have the facilities that we do for charity. In Canada/US, even though there are many whom are underprivileged, we have many programs to help these people, but 3rd world people don't.

The closest I could find was a charity collecting warm clothes for an underprivileged orphanage in/around Russia, but wouldn't take my donation because they were looking for knits that are at least 75% wool, where as much of what I've collected is mostly acrylic, polyester, etc.

So, point being (finally!) I need help finding a charity that'll take these knit items that I have, I'd like the package to go out asap. Post here or PM me. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thaks!

 

how about operation chirstmas child?
they send shoe boxes out to eastern euorpean countries so that kids who live on slums and oraphanages get toys and warm hats and scarfs for christmas.
give that one a go

 

That's an excellent idea arlia. They always accept hats, mittens, face cloths, knit toys ect. We send out as many as we can each year and my home knit items are never refused.

 

I'll give it a go... any others?

 

Jeez, whatever happened to 'beggars can't be choosers'?!

 

I've no idea. The problem is that I'm stuck with a box of knit items and no one seems to want them. I really want them to go to a deserving charity, helping in a country that don't have the advantages that we do here... I didn't think it'd be that complicated. I guess I now know better.

 

^^^Excellent point dm, rez life nowadays is very similar to a lot of 3rd world countries. I'd definitely try Pine Ridge first, they've got it tough.

Good luck, I hope your hats are warming heads that need them this winter!

 

In theory, yes, but there are some cases where, due to lack of materials/money/etc, some of these impoverish places really don't have the convenience of a mall or thrift store to have things handy for them. There are a few places that take material donations for this reason. To be honest, I did manage to find 2 charities that'll collect my things and send them out, but their deadline for this year is up. I think realistically I'd have to wait till next year's donation for it.

I've considered it yes.... To be honest, there are a lot of groupls of people in Canada/USA that are in need; the reason why I'm focusing my donations to 3rd world is because in Canada/USA, we've so many systems that help those in need here, everything from welfare and social assistance through to thrift stores and soup kitchens. Not always the best, but nonetheless, are accessable to all. 3rd world countries don't have this, which is why I want to focus this donation to a group that might be a bit more deserving. thanks for the suggestion though!

 

BUT a lot of those programs are actually NOT available to residents on the reservations. They are treated more like intruders or illegal immigrants in a lot of places (because reservations are actually sovereign lands). And much of the time, even if they could technically use those programs, it's hard to get all the way out into the cities to use them. I'm just saying, it's better to have someone in need wearing the hats than to let them sit for a year just to be given to someone you've deemed more worthy somehow... Maybe you could donate this bunch to a group that will take them, and now that you know of those other organizations, you could work on getting together another bunch for them next year?

 

I suppose the arguement can be made both ways. As unfortunate as it is that people here are in the situation that they're in, it's a choice one makes as to whether or not they want to take advantage of programs available to help them. The same argument can be made with many people who live on the streets - there are shelters, job placement programs, social assistance, welfare, soup kitchens, etc, and yet many of these people choose not to use them. I don't know why, but they don't.

A 3rd world country doesn't have the luxury of having these choices. The bottom 5% of our society, the ones earning the least amount of income, using welfare etc are financially better off than more than 60% of poplulations in many other countries around the world. It's not to say that people here don't need help, all I'm saying is that there are people out there who need a bit more.

I actually did come across, last night, a charity that'll be sending knits out to Mongolia, and are willing to take in what I've made and collected. Finally, but good! Thanks for everyone's help!

 

i made a suggestion before i saw you already found a place.. so deleted it..

im glad you found what you were looking for.

 

thanks....

What sucks is that when I was writing back and forth with UNICEF, they were totally accepting a box of knits, but when I finally collected it all, they had completely changed their mind... arg... I mean, I totally understand only using financial donations and how that's easier, but nonetheless...