Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you all had a wonderful 4th of July. Many of our staff took the opportunity to enjoy a group picnic, listening to music, and crafting. There really is nothing quite like knitting a hat for our veteran community to “Stars and Stripes Forever!”
Although it is still Summer, we do have several Stand Downs right around the corner. These particular Stand Downs are in colder climates and the cooler temperatures come sooner there than they do here in our home state of Texas. With that, we need hats (preferably those with a brim that can be folded over in order to provide extra warmth), scarves, mittens, and lap blankets to meet the needs of the homeless veteran community and their dependents throughout the nation.
If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, lap blanket, or other handcrafted garment to our cause, please remember that the dear veterans and their dependents prefer dark colors (e.g. blue, black, green, grey, and all-time favorite, camouflage). If you would like to knit, crochet, or sew a garment in a brighter color, red or deep purple are always popular bright colors. We cannot emphasize this important point enough: please do not use sparkly or overly decorative yarns and fabrics. While they have their place, they are simply inappropriate for the veterans and their dependents (including children because of choking hazards).
If you are not a crafter, but would like to help, there are still many ways to support our cause! Please consider donating materials and/or making a monetary donation to help us cover the costs of materials, shipping, and overhead.
If you have donations and are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we are still continuing our policy of curbside pickup. Please contact us to schedule a pickup. If you reside outside the DFW area and would like to make an in-kind donation, you can ship your donations to us here in Dallas. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Remember, even one lovingly handcrafted hat or scarf can make a huge difference in the life of an underprivileged veteran or their dependent(s)!