How can my addiction help others?

Addiction?  Relax, don't get too worried.  My addiction is to yarn and things to knit and crochet.  Ever since I started learning how to crochet in January of this year and now knitting, I love to buy yarn and find things to make.  Well I've found myself attracted mostly to hats and scarves and small projects.  Funny thing is, I don't really care to wear hats.  I have sold a few in my shop, but I have many waiting for new homes and I haven't stopped having the urge to make more.

So, recently I've been asking myself, how can this addiction to yarn and making things from them help others?  Well, I believe a few ideas have been revealed to me recently.  Why am I sharing this info with others, why not keep my addiction in the closet and deal with it in secrecy? Well that just wouldn't be any fun at all and those hats are looking for heads to keep warm.

My goal is to reach out to a cancer center and donate hats to them for the patients to pick out one of their liking to keep their heads warm and hide the effects of treatment - loss of hair.  The second idea running through my head is to provide some items to our local homeless shelter.  They are always in the need of hats, scarves, mittens, coats ( now I don't make those, but can find donations), blankets, and many other items that can be made by hand or donated.

Girl you have lofty goals, how are you going to do all this by yourself?  I don't plan on doing this alone.  I know there are many people locally who love to knit, crochet and sew.  I am hoping to get pledges from folks with amount of items they would like to make and donate.  The weather is already turning cool, so I don't have a lot of time to complete my goal, but with the help of others I know I can get it done.  I would like to have at least 50 items available for donation to both a cancer center and St. Francis house by the end of November.  Please help me spread the word.  Do you like to knit, crochet or sew?  Would you consider making and donating at least one item to the cause?  You can designate if you would prefer the item to be given to the cancer center or to St. Frances.  If it's for cancer patients please make your items very soft.  There are several patterns online that can give you ideas of what to make and what materials to use.  For the homeless, please consider making the items gender neutral and/or making something that young people would be proud to wear. 

If you would like to contact me with your pledge please reply here or email me at designsbyjenai (at) gmail.com.

I believe with a little help from others within this community I can reach my goal by the end of the month.  For those of you who don't do any of those crafts but would like to contribute, I would also accept new, unused or gently used (in good condition) hats, scarves, gloves, jackets, and blankets.

Thank you for helping me with this challenge and spreading the word.