This program affords the opportunity for SLCL staff members, volunteers, members of the community and charitable organizations to work together on this project that helps the disadvantaged of the region. Participating knitters recycle their unused yarn and enjoy the fact that their hobby becomes sought after and valued. The finished products are valuable to local charitable organizations like Helping Hand Me Downs, a non-profit organization providing clothing and supplies to local children in need and Shalom House, an organization specializing in working with homeless women with mental illness and chemical dependency to stabilize and rebuild their lives.

Since many of the charitable organizations are invited to the library to collect the items for their recipients, they also become aware of the myriad of resources available to them and their constituents within the branch. The main challenge posed by this project is communication. The craft clubs are coordinated by SLCL staff members. Keeping the knitting club coordinators informed of the progress made by other branches, sharing success stories and keeping them in the loop about their choices of recipients have made it challenging but also worthwhile for all concerned.

The success of this project requires coordination and cooperation among many entities. Each location needs to make it easy to donate yarn, pick up yarn, and donate the standard crocheted squares that will make up the afghans. Communication among the knitting club coordinators and branch managers needs to be conducted at each stage in the process. Branches have to accommodate the collection, assembly and storage of the donated materials which, as the pictures show, is no small feat.

This project also incorporates the teaching of the knitting, craft and other hobbies through this dedicated project. This is where the library branch excels, brining in trucks of knitting resources from the library’s collection for knitters to peruse and check out. Customer and staff suggestions regarding local charitable organizations are taken into account when deciding where to send the completed items.

To provide the largest impact, we believe it is important to reach a diverse group of recipients. The goal is to benefit as many different groups as possible. The recipients of these donations vary greatly in age, ethnicity, geographic area and background. For quick and efficient distribution, we collect all items from the various clubs around the County at a designated location. Several hours were put into sorting the items according to the organizations’ needs.

Throughout the year, we keep in touch with the coordinators of the charitable organizations to ensure they are aware of the timeline and when they might expect to receive donations. In 2014, each of the 15 organizations received about 150 items.

• Over the last 6 years the participating branches grew from 5 to 19. Over the same period the items increased steadily from 50 to 2,165.
• The number of receiving organizations increased from 2 to 15.
• As one coordinates with 10 to 20 internal groups, there will be disagreements regarding the date and place of events. The Coordinator needs to consider all new ideas and look for consensus. Thorough explanation and consistent communication is key.
• The pickup place needs to have easy access for charity coordinators to collect the items and available space for short term storage.
• The outcome is an outpouring of talents and generosity from volunteers as they provide useful and essential goods to those who need them most.