It’s Time for the Dallas and Abilene Stand Downs!

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We’re all hands on deck, working hard to prepare for both the Dallas and Abilene Stand Downs being held later this week. Supporting both of these events back-to-back is looking to leave us starting back from scratch, so please don’t stop crafting for our underprivileged veterans and their dependents!

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)!


Last Call for Dallas and Abilene Donations

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! This week is the last call for your donations to make it in time for next week’s Dallas and Abilene Stand Down events. Please send in your hand-crafted donations to us as soon as possible or, if you are in the DFW area or thereabouts, please contact us to schedule a pick up. Every donation can truly make a difference and is greatly needed and appreciated by our underprivileged military veterans and their dependents.


Donate Today!

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We still need your help to support the upcoming Stand Down events being held throughout the United States that benefit our underprivileged military veterans and their dependents. We need hats, scarves, mittens, gaiters, and lap blankets for these Stand Downs as they are in the colder regions of the United States. Please send in your donations ASAP (or make arrangements to schedule a pickup if you are in the DFW area). The sooner we receive your donated garments, the sooner we can thoroughly process them for the upcoming shipments to these Stand Downs. You can also make a monetary donation to help us cover the costs of shipping, materials, and overhead.


Armed Forces Bowl 2023

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We’ll have a booth in the Veterans’ Village at the Armed Forces Bowl this upcoming Saturday, December 23. The event is being held at the Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. We’ll be there from 11:30am-2:30pm, so come on by and say, “Hi!” We’re there to raise awareness and donations for our cause. Our much loved wristbands, stress footballs, and t-shirts make for great holiday gifts that are both tax deductible and support our mission to offer a hand up to our nation’s underprivileged military veterans and their dependents! See you there!


Thank You, Dallas Stand Down 2023!

Happy Monday dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Last Wednesday we took part in the Dallas Stand Down! As always, taking part in a Stand Down, particularly in our hometown is such a beautiful and moving experience. We were able to meet and give our lovingly handcrafted goods so many lovely veterans. 

Thank you to all of our amazing staff, volunteers, and crafters! We are so grateful for all that you do! We would like to give a huge shout out to The Finest Accessories for their beautifully crafted masks! They were very needed and everyone was able to get one!


Trunk or Treat 2023!

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! This past Saturday, we were able to take part in the festivities at the annual Trunk or Treat event hosted by the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Metrocare. We are thankful to all the wonderful and welcoming staff there for allowing T.H.R.I.V.E. Association to join in on bringing the good vibes and candy to the veteran families in our local community!


Thank You, DFW Fiber Fest 2023!

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! The DFW Fiber Fest was held this past weekend and we had a wonderful time meeting and speaking with everyone at our booth! We would like to thank all of the DFW Fiber Fest staff for the opportunity to share T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s mission of benefiting our underprivileged military veterans and their dependents with our local crafting community. We’d also like to thank all of our community partners for their support.


Fiber Fest 2023

Happy Saturday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! DFW Fiber Fest 2023 is in full swing all weekend long at the Irving Convention Center in Las Colinas and is THE place to be for all crafters in the DFW area. We’ve got a booth set up behind the main information desk, so stop on by; we’d love to see you!


Donations Needed for September Stand Down (Crochet)

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! August is already coming to a close and we need your help to meet the needs of our nation’s underprivileged military veterans and their dependents! We’re going to need more hats, scarves, and gaiters for the Stand Down in September. If you’re a crocheter and you need some inspiration on what pattern to use to craft your donation, here are some suggestions to get you crocheting:

If you’re interested in crafting a simple, elegant, and dependable crochet hat, Lion Brand’s Easy Crochet Hat is a perfect pattern for your next project.

Red Heart’s Wavy Ridge Super Scarf is easier to crochet than it initially appears, weaving up quickly and looking good in any yarn colors. If you need a scarf pattern that is sure to please our veterans and their dependents, the Wavy Ridge Super Scarf is a time-tested hit at all of the previous Stand Downs that we’ve served for years!


Gaiters are a great way to craft a warm garment that warms like a scarf, but uses much less material and weaves up faster than most other options. T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s own Worsted Weight Crochet Gaiter is a great gaiter pattern that is both solid and quick to complete. It folds in half as a double-layered neck warmer, or can be unfolded to cover the mouth and lower face for additional coverage and protection from the elements.

We Did It!

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We all did it! We were able to gift our lovingly hand-crafted items to the underprivileged veterans and their dependents at the Alachua County Veterans Center in Gainesville, Florida this past week. We couldn’t have done it without all of the support and hard work from our donors, crafters, and staff! We’re sending out a heartfelt thanks to all of you who helped to make this happen, as well as to our partners at the Alachua County Veterans Center! Thank you!