Ways to Help - Charity Sewing Ideas

Quilter's are good hearted people. SO many of you are already involved in sewing for charitable causes. I love hearing about the ways that you are helping people in your communities and around the world. As we remember the anniversary of 9/11 I love that we honor that tragic day with a Day of Service. With that in mind I thought I would put together a list of resources for finding charities in need of handmade goods and donations. Of course, opportunities to serve and help our local or global community are never restricted to certain days or places.

Find Local Needs:

If you are looking for places and ways to donate or volunteer close to where you live, check out websites such as Just Serve, Idealist, or Create the Good. Put in your zip code to see lists of possible opportunities in your own community.

For example, local Utah neighbors: check out Stitching Hearts Worldwide for causes in need of help and ways to serve or donate.

You can also check with hospitals, shelters, schools or refugee support organizations in your own community. Many of them have specific, ongoing needs.

Charities in Need of Handmade Donations:

These groups take donations from around the country. Many of them have local chapters in your own community as well.

Dolls of Hope - Charity in need of donations

Dolls of Hope - I have loved sewing stuffed bears for and working with Dolls of Hope for years. Our family has contributed over 100. They have grown and partner with many relief organizations on the ground both here in the US and all over the world - the toys that are donated get directly into the hands of children who need them.

Project Linus - provides handmade blankets to children in need throughout the United States

Quilts of Valor - making quilts for Service members or Veterans

Days for Girls - Reusable Hygiene (Period) kits for girls in underdeveloped communities

Handmade Charity donations - hygiene kits for Days for Girls

Wrap the World with Quilts - delivers quilts around the world to people in need. They also set up Sewing Centers to teach new skills that provide healing and income.

Wrap the World in Quilts was recently featured on the delightful program, Making Good, showing their work in action teaching sewing skills to refugees in Poland.

Binky Patrol - Blankets for children in need with chapters across the US

Sew Powerful - Sewing purses (free pattern provided) to provide supplies for girls to stay in school in Zambia

Little Dresses for Africa - simple pillowcase dresses for children in Africa

Charities in need of Fabric Donations

Many of the above charities are also in need of fabric donations. This is another great way to support a good cause.

Charity Sewing Ideas - Places to Donate Fabric

If you don't have time to make something consider donating excess fabric or other sewing supplies. You can find a list of additional Charities in Need of Quilt, Fabric and Sewing Donations HERE.

You could also check with local hospitals and schools to see what they need most.

Sewing and donating after Natural Disasters

I know that we quilters have some of the best and most generous hearts. The tricky part is knowing where our efforts or resources will have the most impact. We want to reach out and share - particularly our quilts (which are also our love language), but that might not always be the biggest need.

A little research will give us the best results for our efforts as well as fill the most critical needs for those in need of help.

I also have a whole post on best practices about sewing for and donating to charity (particularly after a natural disaster) here.

Most important to keep in mind:

Pace yourself - you don't have to do it all at once or by yourself.
Donate to a reputable charity and check to make sure they actually need the items you want to give.
Work with an established charity organization following a major natural disaster or large-scale tragedy.
In some cases just donate money. Donations allow funds to be used most efficiently, where the need is greatest and supports the affected local community at the same time.

Looking at all of the needs in the world - both in our local communities and on a global scale - can feel overwhelming. Don't let that hold you back from doing something. "By small and simple things great things are brought to pass."

Many people contributing a little can make a big difference. ❤