Crafting Compassion
Tuesdays, 3:00-5:00 pm
Community Transitional School
The Community Transitional School first opened its doors and began teaching children in Pre-K through 8th grade in 1990. Their students come from homeless and transient families living in Portland and throughout Multnomah County. Community Transitional School provides a refuge for these students through their commitment to providing at-risk children with a stable educational environment that promotes their academic and personal growth.
One of our long-time staff members volunteers at Community Transitional School, teaching knitting and crochet to students. We support her by taking monetary donations, which we use to supply her classroom and her students with yarn, notions, and pattern books. Donations can be purchased in the shop.
Hopewell House
Hopewell House is a historic home in the peaceful Hillsdale neighborhood. Thanks to extensive philanthropic support, the house operates as a freestanding inpatient hospice program. Their enduring commitment has been to use the home to serve the dying and their families.
We partner with Hopewell House by supporting their handicraft volunteer program, which accepts donations of handmade lap blankets, prayer shawls, beanies, and slippers to offer as comforting gifts to patients and family members. At the shop, we have donation information and yarn suggestions, and we are happy to accept donations for delivery to Hopewell House.
Knitted Knockers
Knitted Knockers are soft, comfortable handcrafted breastforms, made with love by volunteers, for women who have had mastectomies. Placed into most regular bras, they can provide a suitable alternative to traditional prostheses. They are soft, beautiful, light, huggable, and free to anyone who requests them.
We collect Knitted Knockers and mail them to the organization's headquarters in Bellingham, Washington. We also provide patterns and assistance for those interested in knitting or crocheting them.
Knit the Rainbow
Austin Rivers founded Knit the Rainbow in 2020 after discovering the housing disparities facing LGBTQ+ youth in New York City. He learned there were few nonprofits dedicated to providing housing and/or shelter for this community, and he saw a way to help. Knit the Rainbow helps homeless LGBTQ+ youth in a variety of ways: by collecting hand-knit and crocheted garments for distribution to homeless LGBTQ+ youth in New York City and Chicago; by teaching LGBTQ+ youth to knit and crochet; and by educating the public about the housing disparities faced by homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
Northwest Wools serves as a collection spot for Knit the Rainbow, shipping them items when we have enough to fill a box. For more information about Knit the Rainbow, including free patterns, visit their website.
Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House is committed to offering innovative and high-quality education, anti-poverty, and senior support services across the greater Portland area. Their dedicated team serves more than 12,000 low-income children, families, and seniors each year, including recent immigrants from Latin America, Africa, Ukraine, and the Middle East. For over a century, this organization has been guided by a simple, yet remarkable, vision of neighbors coming together to solve community problems and help people in need.
Neighborhood House accepts donations of our handmade hats, scarves, mittens, and blankets and distributes them to people in our community. We collect as much as possible, so please bring anything that would help a neighbor stay warm this winter!