Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We were so proud and honored to have been able to successfully serve the several hundred homeless military veterans and their dependents in our partner Stand Downs held in October. We’re going to keep up that momentum, as there are always more Stand Downs on the horizon. Prior to a Stand Down event, our partner VA will send us a list of demographics and needs for their local veteran community. With that, all of our handmade goods are crafted to those specifications for that particular Stand Down event. Because of this, we never have a surplus of gifts or inventory for upcoming Stand Downs and we are always starting from scratch. Please keep crafting, as we have more Stand Downs coming up! We are in particular need of hats, scarves, and lap blankets.
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)!