Animals
Compassionate Action Institute - http://pleasebekind.com/ccp.htmlSewing team members make cage comforters and pet toys for animals in shelters in New York City. There is also information on starting a local program.
Kennel Comforters Volunteer Project - http://www.kennelcomforters.blogspot.com/
Volunteer to make beds or donate materials. Beds make the crates more comfortable for the animals in the shelters.
Snuggles Project - http://www.snugglesproject.org/
Help an animal in need by making a snuggle blanket. A soft blanket can make the harsh, cold shelter environment slightly less traumatic for the animals waiting for their forever homes.
Homeless
Hats 4 the Homeless - http://www.hats4thehomeless.com/Started by a 12 year old, this organization provides hats to the homeless. You can send in hats or materials for making hats.
The Sleeping Bag Project - http://www.thesleepingbagproject.org/
This site provides a free, simple pattern for making a sleeping bag to be given to a homeless person. There are also suggestions for how to distribute completed sleeping bags.
Other
The organizations below serve more generalized populations or encourage you to serve your local community.Blankets for Canada - http://www.blankets4canada.ca/
Volunteers make blankets to be distributed to Canadians in need in their area.
Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation - http://friendsofpineridgereservation.org/difference/craftforprr.shtml
The residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota live in extremely poverty striken conditions. Their needs are many and you can put your sewing skills to great use and improve the quality of life for our first citizens.
One Million Pillowcase Challenge - http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/index.html
American Patchwork & Quilting has put forth a challenge for quilters and sewers to make and donate one million pillowcases. Pillowcases are to be given to a charity of your choice in your local community.
Morsbags - http://www.morsbags.com/
This organization encourages people to make reusable bags in order to decrease dependence on plastic bags and reduce the resulting pollution. A pattern is included.
Heartstrings Quilt Project - http://heartstringsquiltproject.com/
Quilters make string quilts for donating to local charitable organizations. They take individual blocks or quilt tops and fabric donations.
Seniors
Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) - http://www.alzquilts.org/paq.htmlThe AAQI is raising awareness and funds through sales of donated art quilts and a touring quilt exhibit. You can join in this grassroots movement by making and donating a miniature quilt.
The two sections below are a bit different than the rest of the listings. The first group lists organizations specifically set up to teach school children the importance of compassion and giving to others. The second group lists organizations that are looking for donations of sewing goods and materials rather than sewn items.
Children's Projects
Blanket the Globe - http://www.blankettheglobe.net/home.htmlThis project is intended to raise awareness of global issues by asking children under 18 to create a 12 inch block showing how they feel connected to nature. The squares are being joined together into one massive quilt that will become a traveling exhibit.
More Than Warmth - http://www.morethanwarmth.org/
So far, over 11,000 students have been involved in the creation of hundreds of quilts that have been sent worldwide to places such as Afghanistan and Africa. The children draw on fabric squares and raise money to finish and ship the quilts. This is designed to be a school project and includes lesson plans.
Sewing Materials Donations
Coffee Creek Quilters - http://www.coffeecreekquilters.org/Volunteers teach quilting classes to incarcerated women at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, Oregon. They are happy to receive donations of materials and cash.
Gifts for the Nations - http://ibol.wordpress.com/
Volunteers mail boxes full of sewing and other crafting supplies to be distributed to Iraqi and Afghani women.
The Sewing Machine Project - http://www.thesewingmachineproject.org/
This organization collects and distributes new and used sewing machines to people in distressed communities around the world such as New Orleans, LA and Sri Lanka in the hopes of "mending" the community.
I hope that this extensive listing of charitable organizations will inspire you and serve as a resource of information.
Happy Sewing!
