Don't try changing the world. Start small instead, with yarn

[@carolynchristy]

I've been a charity crafter for years and years. I've never had to worry about financing my passion. The supplies always seem to be there. Those little serendipitous surprises in materials and opportunities are worth every stitch. And kindness is contagious in the best possible way.

[@denisehoffmann5006]

Yes . 90% of my crochet is for donation . Northern-ish Minnesota here, so lots of winter sets .

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Oh yeah! Those items are in need up north!! Great plan!

[@showandtellmeg]

👏👏👏 This is such a soap box of mine too. The thing most people don't realize about the store checkout time donations is that the reason those stores do that is so they can count YOUR MONEY as a tax deduction for their store. People complain about billionaires getting out of paying taxes - well this is a huge way they accomplish that. I never donate at checkout and I have no qualms saying no lol. But some people would think im heartless. I would just rather give my money to organizations that I know and can see them using it for the causes I believe in. So I think you said it very well :)

[@BirdiNerdi1225]

THIS! 💯

[@Gothlite-i1l]

WOW, I never knew that! Thank you so much for sharing that info.

[@LyraStitchery]

@showandtellmeg I used to work retail. Say no to the donation. But don't get mad at the cashier for asking. They have too. If they don't then they could be held accountable for not doing their job. I promise the cashiers do not care if you do not donate. Not saying you get mad that they ask. Just a general PSA.

[@ValerieHollifield]

I live in Western NC . A friend of mine is heading up Handmade Christmas Stockings for the children who have lost their homes. 200 children have been signed up. ❤

[@slowcrochet]

Sooo good! Praying for all those still feeling the aftermath of Helene!

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

That is such a good idea Valerie!

[@Sar_bear]

When I was 12 years old I was diagnosed with type one diabetes and had to stay in the hospital for a little while, and one of the things the hospital gave me was a handmade quilted blanket that I still have. Stuff like that really does make a difference to people going through a lot. 💖

[@Catmumcraftseverything]

I make fiddle toys for dementia care patients, and blankets for the parents of children on long stay wards. I have a friend who makes matching hearts, which go to both patients and the loved ones of those in end of life care. I also do a yearly car boot sale of things I make, where the proceeds are split between an epilepsy charity and a mental health charity

[@selinamargetts6720]

My general hospital here puts up a board each year. People tack up winter items in a bag. People who need that item are welcome to it.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

That is such a great idea! I wish ours did that here!

[@selinamargetts6720]

​@@ShannonTalksYarncan't hurt to make the suggestion 😊

[@LynneRedick-su1ji]

Hi there, friend! A hobby store where I teach beginning crochet, are going to start a crochet circle where we can make hats and scarves for the homeless. It starts in January and they’ve received a recent yarn donation… entire bin ! So I’m looking forward to that 😊

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

That’s so awesome, I love that it’s also teaching people to crochet!!! ❤️

[@slowcrochet]

I've found that local law enforcement is a great place to ask about donating. They are often called into some really hard situations and encounter children more often than we would like. I know our local precinct collects toy donations to soften those ugly experiences.

[@liliasawyer7145]

Hello! Great ideas, thank you for posting this video 😊 I would recommend to check with the hospital before making NICU items. Some places have very specific rules about what they will take. I do recommend checking for a homeless shelter that would want the donations or a safe haven residence for homeless veterans. They would love hats, scarves, gloves/mittens.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

I totally agree! I think checking with any organization is beneficial. It would be a shame to go to a ton of work and not have it be what they want/need/allow! Great advice!

[@AlasBabylon1]

Shannon, I don't "round up" at the supermarket either. I found out a while back that most of these organizations keep so much of what you give and end up giving a tiny amount (if anything) to the actual charity recipients. There was one large hospital I personally sent a check to every single month, but I ended up learning some terrible things about them. That's when I stopped giving cash. But I haven't stopped giving help. I have gathered clothes from friends/coworkers and given them personally to homeless people. I have made homemade food for hungry people. I have crocheted items for people who desperately need them in cold climates. There are lots of ways to help. My budget is extremely tight, so I'm no longer giving what little I have to wealthy CEOs. Instead, I'm giving what I can to the people who really need it. 🧡

[@elainephillips9997]

I crochet/knit scarves and hats throughout the year for our unsheltered population. I'm also planning on some lap blankets for long-term care facilities. ❤

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Those are great places to donate!

[@deborahm4484]

Shannon your so right.i live in Ireland and I crochet blankets for kiddies in a Cancer ward they all get a blanket to keep and take home after treatment.i also do baby cardigans hats and ponchos for another charity .it's such a feel good feeling giving.ive been doing it for a few years now.💖💖💖ps it's also a great excuse to buy lots of yarn.💖💖💖

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Those are great ways to donate, I love it!

[@MaryHeindl]

I love your shawl Pattern please!

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Hi Mary, Here's all the details! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJm6n6yto7hsna8

[@vickicoleman2474]

There are any number of ways to give! I keep a donation box for crocheted items. That said, I always donate at the register for my local food bank because I volunteered for years and it is heartbreaking to see so many families and seniors food deprived. Great advice, Shannon.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Local food banks are great to donate to! I’ve started a bag of crochet to donate too, that’s all nice stuff, but it just isn’t me.

[@dessin.]

Yes, it's all well and good to give gifts that you created yourself to someone but it's also good to give to charitable organizations. It's not difficult to check which ones are valid and check on where the money goes to. Legit organizations even give updates in real time as to where the donations are going to.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

I'm glad it's so easy to check up on these organizations!

[@kathleengreen6889]

Excellent video!

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Thank you very much!

[@cocoscrochet6380]

Hi Shannon 🤗 agreed! 🥰🧶🤩

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Hello Litsa! I hope you are doing well!

[@normasimpkins9057]

I live in Ontario, Canada. What I am doing with my daughter is, we are taking a bunch of our yarn cakes and crocheting neck warmers. With one cake it makes it large enough to double as a neck warmer/hat. We then take them to city park and hag them on the branches of trees. Those that need them just have to take them.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

I love that!

[@karenbailey3493]

Really good topic and something to give serious thought to….. thank you Shannon. You always have interesting topics and you are very unique. I always enjoy your content ❤

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Thank you so much!

[@debrahill7519]

Totally agree with you. Last week I delivered over 300 crocheted and knitted hats to an intermediate school in my town (I had some help) for #HatNotHate and now I’m making hats for a gentleman who distributes them to homeless. And working on some hats that will be available for children and adults through a local pantry. So easy to do. I have some people who donate funds for me to buy the yarn or donate yarn to me as they know I have limited funds but being retired I have time. I feel so blessed to be able to make a difference. Also going to start making some items for my nephew who is a law enforcement officer starting with hats this winter.

[@Gothlite-i1l]

I used to work at elementary schools and have to tell you that at the end of the day the Lost & Found boxes are full of hats, scarves, mittens, and you-name-it winter gear. No child will go cold into that good night if they'd take a look in those boxes.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

That's so awesome Debra!

[@EllensCrochet]

I donate yarn to my local senior center several times a year. Many are on fixed incomes and appreciate the yarn - when I find a great sale or clearance - I make a point to purchase some to pay it forward. 🧶

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

That is awesome! I love it!

[@AlasBabylon1]

That's a good idea!

[@amydebuitleir]

I'm working in improving my knitting skills (through the TKGA MHK course) so that I can make high-quality knitwear that my local animal shelters can sell in their shops. For example, shawls with a subtle cat or dog motif.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

I love that idea!

[@KelseyHoover]

If you are someone who normally makes monetary donations for tax-write offs remember that if you're donating to a non-profit, you can receive a tax receipt for any gift-in-kind donations made, such as finished objects or yarn. (My day job is doing back-end fundraising things like that). I'm a knitter, and I don't finish enough objects in a year to donate them, but I give my scrap yarn to a friend who makes dolls with her church which get sent to Uganda. Some of it gets used to make hair or clothes for the dolls, the rest is used as stuffing. I don't love the look of scrappy projects, so I don't do much with my scraps myself so I'm glad they're able to be put to good use!

[@maureenb.9909]

I give my knit hats to kids with cancer in my local hospital because I also had cancer. That’s my thing. I will give to veterans because my son is a veteran. Yes you have to pick and choose your charity

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

very well said!

[@RicolaakaCrystalCrochetnstuff]

Hey, good idea. Also do you have a tutorial for what you are wearing?

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

Here's a video with all the details! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJm6n6yto7hsna8

[@joannunemaker6332]

I enjoyed this video. 😊❤

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

I'm so glad! I appreciate it!

[@LyraStitchery]

I will buy a can of catfood for the donation box my local pet store has that they give to the local shelter.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

That is a great idea, they always are in need!

[@minngael]

Right after the election, I found out i had pneumonia. I couldn't go out & do activism so i began making LGBT pride colored bracelets to give to friends & Im planning on making some for a trans youth group.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

I honestly think you can have a much bigger impact like that!

[@CindyBennett13]

I thinks it’s perfectly fine to decline rounding up ! We choose to give to our own charities

[@ravelanone9462]

Yeah, I don't trust stores that want you to donate through them. Do you think maybe they are claiming a tax deduction even though they are not the ones actually giving the money? I also don't trust many large charities any more; turns out there is tons of corruption. You have to look into them first and find the ones that are actually getting help to people in need.

[@BGGcreations]

@@ravelanone9462 this is exactly why I do NOT give through Walmart “to any charity” I’m 100% certain Walmart claims that as a corporate donation when it comes directly from the customers. That’s not what tax deductions are for.

[@lisapatterson9297]

I just give local ❤

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

You’re always so good at that! ❤️

[@LyraStitchery]

I just say no and I don't have cash.

[@Gothlite-i1l]

I am a journal maker and abandon ALL my handmade junk journals at Little Free Libraries, the Senior Center, and even outside regular libraries. I also make counted cross stitch bookmarks, plarn mats for the homeless, kumihimo pro-Palestinian bracelets and key chains, painted rocks, and a whole lot more which are similarly abandoned. I do this year-round, not just at one time of the year. Often the pieces are just as liberal-minded as I am so people can take them or leave them as they please. I'd like to think that even if my crafts only make a difference to ONE person, that is one more person who is different in some way - even if they only got something for FREE in this corporatocracy of ours.

[@ShannonTalksYarn]

I tried making plarn once and I couldn't believe how many bags it needed!!! I love the idea but I just didn't have the follow through on that one lol! I'm impressed you didn't give up like I did