Monday, July 19, 2010

Compassion In Action

I work with a very special lady.  Kelly is her name.  She heads up a group called Compassion In Action that helps the homeless.  I want to help her.  I hope that you will read on.


Kelly was telling me about her group.  Every year, in November, they meet up with the homeless people, mostly men, and give them things that will help them to get through the coming winter in Denver.  It's one-on-one.  She and her group personally hand them whatever they've been able to collect throughout the year.

Many of the stories that she told me would break your heart:  the man who explained how good it felt to have a new, clearn pair of socks to put on his feet, especially since his shoes were full of holes; or how grateful a man was to receive a belt because his donated pair of pants were too big and now he had something to hold them up.

I know.  It's easy to stay that a lot of these people brought this on themselves.  They may be alcoholics or drug addicts.  But, you know, they are all human no matter what their story may be.  It's just possible, too, that they encountered bad luck, perhaps lost their job and had no one to help them and nowhere to turn.  Does it really matter?  These people, PEOPLE, are in need of the basics.

Compassion in Action collects anything they can.  Often they spend their own money and buy things like backpacks so that these people don't need to take a shopping cart to carry their belongings.  Last year, very sadly, they did not have enough to give everyone something and had to turn some away.

I look around here and see how much I have.  The yarn I've collected, alone, would keep several people warm with mittens, hats and scarves.  I plan to knit as much as I can.  I, we, could use some help.  If you've got some extra yarn in your stash, why not knit a hat, or whatever?  It won't take long.  Maybe two?  It would be great if you put a little tag on whatever you knit saying something like "Mary knit this for you".  It'll give them a name to go with the knitting, a human connection.

If you're nearby, I'll pick up whatever you have to share.  For knitting, you can also drop it off at A Knitted Peace in Littleton.  They've agreed to take donations.  If you live farther away and you don't mind putting something in the mail, email me and I'll send you my mailing address, with my thanks.

Most of the homeless are men.  There are a few women, and thankfully, rarely only a child.  Don't worry about whether your yarn is machine washable.  If it will keep someone warm, that's all that matters.

All this being said, if you feel like helping, but want to help in your own area, why not?  It's amazing how good it feels to give back.  How would you feel if you were the one in need?

Thank you for reading.

By the way, I jokingly say that I'm "knitting for the CIA"!!

5 comments:

JelliDonut said...

I would be honored to help. I'll knit hats, donate supplies, whatever is needed. Just let me know.

Terrie D. (StarSpry) said...

I'll start knitting some hats :)

Judy said...

Be glad to help out.

noelle said...

I have a big bag of yarn that someone gave me and I don't know what to do with. It's all Red Heart, but it will work for mittens and hats and scarves. Is there a deadline to have things to A Knitted Peace? I'm local...in Centennial, near Colorful Yarns.

Anonymous said...

They sound like an amazing group! I'm definitely in for a few hats!!