GIFTS OF LOVE is a group made up of myself, a few crafting ladies and anyone else who wants to help in our area or theirs or anywhere else. We crochet items to be distributed to deserving persons and charities. We are not an organization of any kind, we just want to do some good wherever we can, mostly supporting different charities with crocheted/knitted items, etc. A point is made to support charities and individuals needing items wherever we can. You may send items directly to these charities, or to me and I will find a deserving home. I will also accept any unwanted CLEAN yarn or crochet hooks or Unfinished Objects to be used in these charity projects.

At this time we need:

Baby items (store bought is fine!)
1 Gallon ziploc bags (slider type not necessary)
All sizes safety pins

You may mail to:

Marla Potter
327 Windsor Dr.
Calvert City, KY 42029

WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING:

BEARS-

Broadway Church of Christ has a group of ladies (and sometimes men) in teams that make and send bears to local Hospitals, Dr's offices, clinics, Spouse Abuse/Child watch centers, and various other places. At current we have about 45 members or so. Some paint faces, some cut out, some stuff, some sew, and some distribute the bears to the centers.

We can use:

Cotton thread (white and any color)
Poly-fil type stuffing
Paint Markers (like you buy at Wal-mart in the crafts section)
1/4" ribbon in bright or pastel colors

NEW PATHWAYS

Local girls' and boys' homes for 11-17 year olds who have been removed from their home by the courts for one reason or another. Some come in with only the clothes and items on their back. Our Sunday School class especially has been supporting both homes and the kids themselves. The girls especially are provided with a welcome basket when they come in containing a robe, pajamas, towel, washcloth, shampoo and other necessities. Those that wish to are brought to church and provided with bibles as well. Many members do this out of their own pocket.

For the welcome baskets we need NEW (Adult sizes):

Towel/washcloth sets
Pajamas Sizes S-XL
Bathrobes Sizes S-XL
House shoes/Slipper Sizes S-XL
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash
Large or Laundry size wicker baskets

NEWBORNS IN NEED

My favorite Charity is Newborns in Need, a national charity to help sick, needy and premature babies. This is a wonderful charity that I have seen from the top to the bottom and is one of the most deserving charities on the internet. Any baby items made or sent to me I generally send to the Southern Indiana Chaptern nearest me, or to National Home Office, which serves any needs in areas not near a chapter. I also find a lot of people in my area, often working poor that need help with items for a new baby and aren't getting help from anywhere or anyone.

Ideas: Any baby items, quilts, crocheted blankets, booties, preemie items, hats, baby care items, clothing (New is badly needed but good used is welcome too!!), necessities such as shampoo, baby bath, powder, lotion, diaper rash ointment etc., PACIFIERS and TEETHERS (must be new!)

Loveafghans4PRR
Love Afghans for Pine Ridge Reservation
This Yahoo! group accepts crocheted or knitted squares to be made into afghans to send to Pine Ridge. You are welcome to send squares without joining the group.

If you don't care to join the group, but, would like to donate yarn, squares, or cash for shipping, you can send it to

Pam Wingard
P.O. Box 80597
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
70898-0597

Please visit the FOPRR website to learn more about charities within Pine Ridge Reservation.
PINE RIDGE WINTERS ARE OFTEN 30 BELOW ZERO FARENHEIT!!!!!
They need:

Quilts, blankets and afghans
Scarves, hats, gloves, warm winter clothing
propane/electricity donations are badly needed!

I will post charity links and pattern links as I get them; in the meantime, visit The Nursery, Just For Kids, My Own Patterns (Patterns created by Marla) and Bev's Country Cottage for some pattern links.

Here's a few links to places needing items:

RELAY FOR LIFE
One of our local Cancer Doctors groups takes donations of money, snacks, items to be raffled, auctioned, etc to raise money for Relay for Life for Cancer research. I am currently (and will do so as long as I have spare time and craft supplies) making them some items to raffle or auction, then donate the money to Relay for Life. If you are a crafter and would like to donate crafted items to this cause, please contact me.

Newborns in Need

Project Linus
Providing blankets to seriously ill and traumatized children.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105
Attn: Donor Services
NEW handmade items to be distributed to sick children, mostly with cancer from ages 0-18. Some ideas include: afghans, lapghans, caps, socks/slippers, toys and stuffed animals.

Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation
Donate warm items for the Lakota on the very poor Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. Many do not have necessary clothing, beds, bedding, running water or the basic necessities and the unemployment rate is very high due to very few jobs available in the area. The winters are also very cold, and very few have any type of heat.

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