Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family. Remember that keeping a simple project with you that is easy to pick up and put down is a great way to make use of those little moments of free time, such as when you’re out handling errands, enjoying the outdoors, or even waiting in line. This way, you can benefit from the therapeutic qualities of crafting while also working towards finishing projects that ultimately can go towards helping the underprivileged veteran community that T.H.R.I.V.E. Association serves. Happy crafting and thank you for continuing to send in your wonderfully handmade garments to us in support of our mission!
Crafting for Anchorage at the birthplace of “The Star-Spangled Banner”
Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you all had a very happy and safe 4th of July weekend. Thank you to all of our amazing staff and volunteers who have been helping us to reach our goal of 150 hats and scarves and 20 blankets for our partner V.A. in Anchorage, Alaska. We are so grateful for your ongoing support and tireless efforts to further our mission to help end homelessness among our nation’s veterans and their dependents.
Although most of us in the “lower 48” are experiencing sweltering temperatures, it is important to note that Anchorage, Alaska does get quite cold at night; even during the Summer months. So, please keep sending in your lovingly handcrafted gifts. They are always needed, and we send them to our partner Stand Downs all year round.
If you’d like to donate a hat, scarf, mittens, 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 potential 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 within Baltimore or the DMV area, please contact us to schedule a pickup. If you reside outside of the Baltimore, MD or the DMV area and would like to make an in-kind donation, you can send your donations to us at:
Care of: Victoria Walker at T.H.R.I.V.E. Association
900 E Fayette St #1583
Baltimore, MD 21233
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).
Note: The photo above was taken at Fort McHenry- the birthplace of “The Star-Spangled Banner”! Happy 250th America!
We need hats, scarves, and blankets for Anchorage!
Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Our C.E.O. is going back to Anchorage, Alaska for the V.A.’s annual VSO (Veteran Service Organizations) Day on July 15, 2026. We love meeting with the veterans and their families and letting them know that we’re here and how we support them as they recover from homelessness. The Anchorage VA and their veteran community are near and dear to us. Alaska has a very large homeless veteran population and we make it our mission to help reduce those numbers by providing our handmade gifts to the veterans as they work to get back on their feet.
Our goal is to take at least 150 hats and scarves, and 20 blankets to the Anchorage VA. These gifts are always deeply treasured by the veterans and their dependents. We have heard both from the veterans themselves and also from VA staff and other Community partners that our lovingly handcrafted gifts really do encourage the veterans and make them feel appreciated and loved. Our gifts are more than the sum of the parts; what makes them special is that they are handmade by the T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family of crafters with love and appreciation.
If you don’t craft, but want to help, please make a tax-deductible monetary donation to help cover the travel costs. Alternatively, if you would like to make an in-kind gift, we need Lion Brand Pound of Love yarn. Just one of these one-pound balls of yarn can easily make up to six warm double thick hats!
Memorial Day 2026
Although many of us celebrate Memorial Day with barbecues, parades, etc. it is in fact the most solemn day of the year for Americans. This holiday, originally called “Decoration Day”, was started in 1868, three years after the conclusion of the American Civil War. Its purpose was to honor all of America’s fallen soldiers- regardless of whether they fought on the Union or Confederate side. Eventually, this holiday would be expanded to commemorate every American service member who made the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation that we proudly call “home”. The included photos were taken at the Gettysburg Battlefield in the Gettysburg National Military Park, where our executive staff paid respects to the fallen.
We would like to invite you all to join us in taking time today to reflect on those sacrifices, and to offer a moment of silence for those brave, selfless individuals who gave so much for us all so that we could live in the “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Thank You, Anchorage!
Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Anchorage, Alaska VA for inviting us to their Veterans Service Organization (VSO) Day last Wednesday. Our Chief Executive Officer got to meet so many of the wonderful veterans that we have proudly served for years and got to meet the incredibly dedicated VA staff there. Words are insufficient to express our gratitude for this opportunity and the lessons learned from Ms. Peggy Bateman and Ms. Jurileen Fex.
What we confronted in Anchorage was a very moving and eye-opening experience. As any of our volunteers and staff know, the Anchorage, AK Stand Down is always one of our biggest and also one of our favorites to serve. So many of us really don’t think about the homeless of Alaska, however it is a huge problem that we are committed to helping. During a walk through Delaney Park looking for the war monument, it was shocking to see all of the souls who were sleeping rough. This was particularly jarring, as this city is known for its below-freezing Winters and its dangerous wildlife (bears, moose, etc.), which we learned can (and often do) find their way into the city. We learned that Alaska has more veterans per capita than any other state in the Union and were shocked at the high cost of living in Alaska. Factors such as these make it increasingly harder for those experiencing homelessness to recover.
After this experience, we are more committed than ever to end homelessness in our veteran community in Alaska and every other state in the Union! Let us redouble our efforts to make this goal a reality!
Onward to Alaska!
Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family. We’re off to Anchorage, Alaska today for the Veteran Service Organization (VSO) Day event on Wednesday. Stay tuned for updates!
Anchorage, Alaska here we come!
Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Next week we’ll be in Anchorage, Alaska for a meet and greet with the veteran community that we serve there. We are super excited to be invited to this fantastic event! Stay tuned for updates!
The Gainsville, FL Stand Down is Served!
We have sent 120 of our beautiful, handmade garments to the Gainsville, FL Stand Down being held on February 20th. Many thanks to our dedicated staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners!
Stand Down This Saturday!
We would like to thank the American Red Cross again for their continued support! We are so very grateful for all that they do for us! Their awesome donation of 40 exquisitely knit hats and 27 scarves will be deeply appreciated by our veterans and their dependents.
T.H.R.I.V.E. Association is going to take part in Operation Care’s Stand Down in Dallas this Saturday. We are still collecting goods to distribute to the over 700 veterans and their family members who are expected to attend. If you have donations that you would still like to turn in for this Saturday’s Stand Down, please call our Chief Officer, Victoria Walker (469) 427-9654 so that we can arrange for a pick up.
The Violetta Cowl
Firstly, we’d like to thank our donors for contributing several skeins of yarn to our cause! We couldn’t continue our work without your support. We are also grateful to all of our volunteers for their compassion, hard work, and dedication. A very special thanks goes out to those who come out to our Craft-a-thons as well!
Next up this week is an awesome new project that is a sure keep our brave veterans warm during the long, chilly Fall and Winter months. Yes, it is very warm and soft! This glamorous cowl was made using Lion Brand’s Violetta Cowl pattern number #L40511 – it is available as a free download on their website. (The link is provided below.) It is a perfect beginner level project, and is a fantastic way to practice your stitches!
The Violetta Cowl pattern is available here:
http://www.lionbrand.com/knitting-pattern-violetta-cowl.html
As usual, we will have a Friday night Craft-a-thon this Friday, October 14 at 6:00 p.m. We will be meeting at Half Price Books.
Half Price Books at 5803 Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX 75231 on 10/14/16 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Come out and join us; even if it is to sit and chat for a few minutes!
