Crafting For A Cause

This organization provides crochet and knit items for American servicemen and women overseas. The Hendersonville, NC chapter is always looking for volunteers, yarn and monetary donations. Website also links to other chapters - find the one closest to you to help support our troops.

Care Wear started in 1991 as a personal project to provide apparel for premature and low birth-weight infants who were patients in several hospitals in the Washington D.C. area. Care Wear has grown steadily and has expanded to also provide chemo hats with braids for teens/preteens, afghans for patients of all ages, medical dolls to explain surgical procedures, toys for children in ER's and anything else that the various participating hospitals see a need for. Many of the items they regularly provide are included among the wonderful selection of sewing, knitting and crochet patterns. The site also contains a listing of hospitals and organizations that Care Wear is already assisting. Addresses, phone numbers, points of contact, and specific item requests are listed.

It began with the Citrus Belt Quilters Inc. of Redlands, CA. They wanted to offer some measure of comfort to military families of fallen soldiers who were buried at Riverside National Cemetery or were from the greater Inland Empire area. The quilts were replicas of those made during the Civil War by the U.S. Sanitary Commission. Their idea has spread to all 50 states and the US Territories and the group is endorsed by the US Department of Veteran's Affairs. Visit their website to find contact information for local chapters.