Crafting for Charity
When I first started my Etsy shop, Rebecca’s Legacy, it was a spin-off of my recent crafting endeavors. Before starting my Etsy Shop, I used to crochet for charity. I started crocheting more as a way to relax, and since I didn’t have very many friends having babies, and it doesn’t get too cold here in Florida, I had to find something to do with all the things I created. That is when I started looking into charities that accept crochet and other crafts as donations. Through my time in crafting for charities, I have learned a few things, such as where to look for charities, following the rules, and how to donate.
The first step of crafting for charity is to know where to look. The internet is always a good resource for finding charities that accept crafts. You can search for local, national, or international charities. In the past, I have donated to Operation Gratitude, Click for Babies, and Project Linus. Recently, I have been making baby hats for my local hospital, as they accept hats for newborns and premature babies. If you don’t crochet, there are various charities that accept a variety of different items, including: quilts, stuffed animals, paracord bracelets, and even friendship bracelets. All you have to do is look. Once you find your charity of choice, the next step is to follow the rules and guidelines for what is an acceptable donation for that organization.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to follow the rules and guidelines for each organization. Each charity has its own rules and guidelines they abide by to accept your creation. It would be such a waste of your time and efforts, and a waste of their time and efforts, to send in something that they are unable to use. The best way to make sure that your creation is in compliance is to go to their website and read what the submission criteria are. I have found that most of the time, many charities will include a sample pattern with pictures of acceptable donations. If you are still in doubt, reach out! If said charity has contact information listed or even a chapter near you, you can reach out and ask questions to be doubly sure that your creation is accepted and used for its intended purpose. After you have reviewed the rules and regulations, the very next step would be to look and see how to donate.
How to donate is really important because if you are not careful, you can incur some unexpected expenses when donating. The first time I sent in my donation of scarves to Operation Gratitude, I was met with sticker shock at the post office. I figured since yarn is fairly light, it shouldn’t cost that much to mail a few scarves across country, and boy was I wrong. Once the items are crocheted, they pick up weight, and when you cram 10 or so 50-inch-long scarves into a box to mail, it weighs a lot. That is when I started paying more attention to how to donate as well as what to donate. I found that some charities like Project Linus would have drop-off locations at local stores, like Joann’s fabrics (RIP JOANN’s ). or even chapters that accept donations. Even if you still have a goal of sending in a certain number of items, maybe splitting it up so that you have a lighter box to mail and ship them out in shifts would also help to break up those costs.
Recently, I have gone back to crafting for charity. I got away from it for a while when I was trying to grow my Etsy shop, take care of my family, and focus on my career. I decided to start back crafting for charity because it is just a feel-good project. I am still benefiting from reduced stress and anxiety, and hopefully my projects will help make someone that I have never met days a little bit brighter. I hope that you would consider it too.
