Cloths For Crisis

Back in September of 2005, I joined with Sallee of Knitnana fame to host Cloths for Katrina, a Yahoo group dedicated to knitting cotton washcloths for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina which struck with such horrible ferocity along the Gulf Coast at the beginning of that month. Since then members of that group have knit and sent off probably close to 2000 washcloths to survivors. But now, five months later, it is becoming more difficult to find ways of distributing those cloths. The evacuees have left the large shelters, those housed in hotels around the country have been told to find individual lodgings and many have started new lives far from the Coast. Rather than abandon the effort, the poll which closed yesterday showed that almost 85% of the members want to continue in some form.

Accordingly, Sallee & I have opened a new group Cloths For Crisis which will encompass those we can find still in need from Katrina & Rita, national disasters still to come (unfortunately) with the next hurricane season, and local needs. There's a new button over there in the sidebar or you can click on the link above or on the button over there to join us.

We know that a hand-knit washcloth isn't a magic wand that will solve all the problems of anyone caught in an event like Katrina or lodged in a local homeless or battered women's shelter, but that simple cloth, hand crafted with love, is a way of saying that someone cares, that the person receiving it is not completely alone. Please join us. Knit a few cloths to set aside so they can be sent out within days of identifying a need. (Our biggest problem with Cloths For Katrina was that we were playing catch-up, trying to knit cloths for distribution while the evacuees were scattering.) Knit a few more to send to those still homeless. And then, before putting your needles and yarn away, knit even more to send to a local shelter or charity. There's nothing more satisfying than giving from our hands & hearts. Try it, I think you'll find that you'll like it.