My family runs a small non-profit that teaches sustainability and self sufficiency to teens in low-income, high risk environments. We help teens become small time entrepreneurs to begin to support themselves using what they already have available or what can be cheaply gotten (teach a man to fish and all that). This includes knitting/crocheting, making cosmetics (soap and lotion), home goods (candles, afghans, quilts) and cooking.
As the resident crafter I have been tasked with two things. 1) Make warm things to give as donations (hats, scarves, gloves, socks, blankets, afghans, etc). You'd be surprised how many people go through winters in MA with no heat, even if they have a roof over their heads). Having been homeless myself, my personal opinion is that being poor doesn't mean you don't care how you look (many times it means you care more). This is especially true for teenage girls, so I take the extra time to make the items fashionable.
2) Source crafting supplies (including yarn, needles, hooks, and all the other little knitting/crochet accessories).
My budget? $0. This is my own personal baby so I am starting with absolutely nothing, but a big heart and willing hands. Any advice where I can get free yarn (or old afghans, sweaters, scarves, etc. that can be upcycled), needles, hooks, etc,? Any help would be greatly appreciated. As we have a good 5-6 months before the weather starts to turn up here we are looking to get a head start.
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I used to work for a newspaper and I have volunteered for a lot of organizations doing publicity. Here are my suggestions: Try to get the local newspaper to do a story or run a short blurb about what you are doing. Smaller town newspapers and community newspapers may likely be more willing to give you space than a large metro. The timing may also be a factor: whenever school is out, news seems to slow down so the places I worked for would say "yes" more often if it was during Thanksgiving, Christmas or summer breaks. Also they have college interns needing "easy" feature stories to write during June and July so you might touch base with the mid-sized to larger papers at that time. If there is a broadcast station that does community news or community interest features, let them know what you are doing. They may get you on the air to discuss what you need and how you are helping. Then, try Craigslist and Facebook to let folks in your area know what you need and how you are helping.
Go to yarn and craft stores and ask for donations. Also put want ads on Freecycle and Craigslist
You have a good story to tell so write up a page (make it to the point) (only one page including pictures) take several pictures of yourself, completed items and add them to the page. Be sure to include contact information in larger print.
Place wanted ads on Craigslist, Freecycle, USA4Sale, Nextdoor as these are god mines for stuff like this - but only if you tell a little about your project or have web link where they can read about your project.
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