Charity Knitting Ideas for Veterans Soldiers and others in Need

Knitting Charities

Do you enjoy making things for other? Choose from the list below to share your passion for knitting and do something good for others that could really use your help!

Each one of these charities would appreciate your donation of knitting time and yarn to create blankets and garments for those in need. Many of the projects are small and a great way to use up odd balls and scrap yarn.

Use the charities listed below to look into knitting for others including America's Soldiers. Note: Charities marked with ** help veterans and soldiers currently serving.

Afghans for Afghans - Your knitted or crocheted blankets, sweaters, vests, hats, mittens and socks will help provide comfort and warmth to Afghan women, men, and children. They continue to suffer from oppression, war, hunger, poverty, and sickness. You lovingly handmade item sends a message of hope and concern for your fellow human. Guidelines and info available in their site.
Binky Patrol - This organization has been accepting homemade blankets "binkies" for more than 14 years. Binkies can be sewn, knitted, crocheted, or quilted. Binkies are distributed to children born HIV+, drug-addicted, infected with AIDS or other chronic or terminal illnesses, those who are abused, in foster care or experiencing trauma of any kind.
Care2Knit - Provides hand knit and crocheted items such as scarves, lap shawls, hats and other related accessories to those in shelters, hospitals, nursing homes and hospices
ChemoCaps - Knit hats to help make a cancer patient in the oncology unit and hospice program feel more comfortable. These caps allow the recipient to feel comforted knowing a knitter cared enough to hand knit a chemo cap for their head. Free chemo caps patterns are available on their website.
Cubs for Kids - Provides "dressed" teddy bears for children in homeless shelters across the country. Cubs for Kids provides the bear cub and pattern for sweater, hat and scarf. You provide the yarn and knit garments for the bears. In early December, bears are dress, gift wrapped and donated to the children.
Hats 4 the Homeless - Knit or crochet hats, gloves, socks, and scarves to be donated to the homeless in Winter. The weekend before Christmas, these garments are handed out at St Frances Xavier's Soup Kitchen in New York City.
Knit-a-Square - Knitting something as simple as a knitted square can help create blankets for some of the 1.9 million children left orphaned in South Africa from the AIDS virus. They they need knitters and crocheters to create 8" squares, hats and garments. Free patterns available on their website.
Knitting and Giving - This charity provides warm hand knit or crocheted items to those in need. Your hand knitted gifts will be donated to hospitals, homeless shelters and to others in need across the United States and abroad. There is "Call for Items" page on their website that specifies the types of knitted garments needed.
Knit Your Bit ** - Helps honor WWII veterans by creating scarves to keep them warm. Many distributed at VA centers. Lots of free scarf patterns available on their website.
Mother Bear Project - Hand knit or crocheted bears provide comfort and hope to children affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations. Knit adorable bears for these kids!
Operation Gratitude ** - Sends care package to US troops. Desperately needs knitted scarves, hats, and cool ties for service men and women.
Operation Toasty Toes **- This group of volunteers can use your help making knitted and crocheted items for soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Greenland, Korea, Japan, Alaska - stationed on a base or on a ship. Free Patterns are available for the helmet liners, slippers, watch caps, headbands, and dickeys.
Pink Slipper Project - Create slippers to warm the hearts and toes of women and children living in shelters. Slippers can be knitted, crocheted, stitched with a sewing machine or by hand. Free patterns are available.
Project Linus - Provides security through blankets for seriously ill and traumatized children, ages 0-18. Many free patterns to knit, crochet, or sew blankets. Become a "blanketeer" and help a child in need.
The Ships Project ** - The Ships Project sends handmade hats and slippers to Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed across the world in the War on Terror. Free patterns to knit, crochet or sew available on their website.
The Snuggles Project - Provides blankets for small animals, cats, and dogs in animal shelters worldwide. Free patterns to knit, crochet, or sew the blankets are on their website.
Socks for Soldiers ** - Love to knit socks? Knit a pair for a soldier serving far from home to let him/her know someone is thinking of him/her.
Soldiers' Angels ** - Helps our Veterans by making and sending lapghans (blankets), hats, scarves, trach/stoma bibs, catheter bag covers, ditty bags, wheelchair/walker totes and slipper socks to VA medical facilities around the country.
Special Olympics Scarf Project - Knit scarves for the athletes, coaches, families and volunteers of the 2012 Special Olympics. Free patterns and official colors are posted on their website.
Warmth for Warriors ** - Knit or crochet hats for US soldiers serving across the globe.
World War II National Museum ** - Knit Your Bit or Crochet Your Bit collection and distributes hand knits scarves to veterans.