December 2024 Newsletter

Another year has come and gone, my friends. For many, it was a difficult year, but I take solace in knowing that the K4P community is making this world a better place. Now, that may sound cliche, but, our little nonprofit is truly changing days and lives for the better without any negative implications. 

• Our environmental impact is low because we encourage folks to donate in their own community and ship only when necessary
• We only create the items our community directly asks for and needs, cutting down on waste
• Our staff, volunteers, delivery agents, Pods, and makers deliver items in a way that makes the recipient feel valued and seen, not patronized.
• K4P offers a sense of community and purpose for makers 

I am proud to be a part of a nonprofit that is truly purpose driven with no agenda except to improve the world one Pal at a time. We, the K4P community, shine a light where darkness may be lingering. With your help, we can continue to shine that light for as long as we are needed. 

Thank you for your support in 2024 and we look forward to seeing many more of you in the year to come. 

With gratitude,

Kelly Wulf, Executive Director

Members of the Hands4Love Pod in Loveland, CO decorating the Hat & Mitten Tree with items for the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation in Montana.

Donating for 2024 tax benefits?

• Tuesday, December 31- Last day to maximize your 2024 tax benefits by donating to Knitting4Peace.
• Make sure to date your check in 2024 and mail before the end of the year!  

Community Member of the Month:

Dr. Julie Kelly

Dr. Julie Kelly, our Community Member of the Month, first went to Africa many years ago to climb mountains. She loved her experiences there, especially the people and country of Kenya. However, as a veterinarian, she was heartsick when she saw so many malnourished animals and returned home determined to do something about it. She soon found the African Network for Animal Welfare and joined forces with them to address the need for animal vaccinations. It wasn’t long before Julie’s vision for the aniamals and people of Kenya expanded. She added additional interventions to control the parasites who were responsible for the deaths of so many animals. At the same time, she noticed that it was primarily women and children who brought the animals to the vaccination and health care clinics. Julie began to develop critical programs that educated children on healthy animal care practices and saw the incidence of bite wounds significantly reduced as children learned to lovingly care for animals. Since the beginning of her work in Kenya, over 100,000 animals have been vaccinated and received care. 

One of the clients whose pets were seen by Julie in her Colorado veterinary practice was Susan McKee, the founder of Knitting4Peace. As these two passionate humanitarians shared stories about their work, Susan told Julie about our Peace Pals and asked if she would like to take some on her next trip. Julie readily agreed and the children in Kenya who received the Peace Pals immediately fell in love with the Pals who soon became beloved friends. Julie shared that the little girls often use their Kangas (a traditional cloth sash) to proudly carry their Pals on their backs, much as their mothers carry their younger siblings. 

Surprisingly, it does get quite chilly in Kenya, particularly at night. The hats that K4P now sends with Julie have made a significant difference for those who receive them. Not only do hats keep heads warm but they also support Kenyan beliefs that heads must be covered to keep one’s spirit inside. Both the Peace Pals and the hats have been used to educate and to engage children and adults. Julie recalls working with a village elder, who was very hesitant about having Julie and her team work with the animals. Julie offered him a K4P hat, and through this offering and conversation, a strong bridge was built. The Elder soon agreed to allow the village animals to be given care and he even sent the children out into the community to encourage villagers to bring their animals to the clinic.

Julie’s philanthropic efforts are not limited to her work in Africa. She is also providing vaccination clinics and care for the animals of people living in temporary shelters. These individuals are unable to secure permanent housing with unvaccinated animals so Julie is working hard to help them alleviate that barrier. K4P will soon be supporting this effort by providing hats, scarves, and mittens to individuals who attend the clinics and who need warm clothing. 

Julie’s African Network for Animal Welfare USA team works with approximately 5,000 to 6,000 animals each year, and they have reached as many as 10,000/year. However, it is not just the animals, but the individuals who accompany them, as well as their communities, who benefit from this organization’s efforts. Knitting4Peace is honored to partner with Julie and to support her incredible work with the ANAWUSA. Congratulations and thanks to Dr. Julie Kelly, our December Community Member of the Month!

End of Year Giving & Becoming A Peace Maker 

End of Year Giving

Please consider making an end of year gift to Knitting4Peace. 

Your contribution is tax deductible and helps us to provide handmade, essential items of warmth to those who need it most.  

There are many ways to support Knitting4Peace that will also maximize your tax benefits. Please consult your tax professional and consider an end of year gift to support K4P's mission. 

• Utilize your donor advised funds
• Donate from your IRA
• Date and send checks and all donations prior to the end of calendar year 2024

End of Year Giving Tips: 

Make a donation online HERE or mail donations to: 

Knitting4Peace, 2600 Leyden St, Denver, CO 80207

Knitting4Peace is a nonprofit organization. Tax ID 74-3227542

Who are the Peace Makers?

Peace Makers are friends who choose to make a monthly donation to Knitting4Peace. There are several levels of being a Peace Maker and you can choose what best suits you! Each level is named after a revolutionary crafter who we find inspiring. You can learn all about them HERE

I already donate- why does being a Peace Maker matter?

Monthly donations, no matter the size, are what sustain K4P.  It is regular, consistent revenue that we can rely on and utilize each month. We appreciate any and all donations whenever someone chooses, but it is good to know we can rely on the monthly Peace Makers to sustain our programming each month.

What benefit do I get if I am a monthly Peace Maker?

There are tons of benefits!  From workshops and prize drawing entries, to useful and thoughtful K4P merchandise. It all depends on what level you choose to give.  We have our first Peace Makers Workshop coming soon in 2025 with the History of Revolutionary Crafters! However, the biggest benefit is knowing you are sustaining a very small nonprofit every single month. 

How do I join?

It is easy! Simply go to https://www.coloradogives.org/donate/Knitting4Peace

Once on the webpage, make sure to select "Monthly Donation" instead of "One-time Donation". Once you complete the donation, we get an email notification and will sign you up for your level!  If you are not an online person, that's ok! Just let us know that you plan to send a monthly check and we will be on the look out for that. 

We are SO grateful for our existing monthly donors and we simply couldn't get through each year without you!  Thank you for your belief in our mission! 

Consistency is Key: Hats!

Hats of all sizes are one of our most requested items! Because of your generosity, we are often able to fully meet the requests we receive for them. To ensure that the hats you send will quickly find a home, please note the following guidelines:

~All hats must be washable, and a MINIMUM of 13” or larger. 

~Infant hats should be 13” to 18”. We welcome both lightweight hats using soft yarns, and warm hats for babies.

~Toddler hats are typically 18”-19” circumference. For children ages 3-10, the circumference should be 19” to 20”.

~Warm hats in bright colors are preferred.

~It’s especially important that teen and adult hats are warm. They should be 21” to 23” circumference.

~Although there is some variation in sizing charts, here is a detailed chart that you might find useful: https://blog.lionbrand.com/hat-size-guide/

Please do NOT send premie hats or infant hats smaller than 13” in circumference. We do not receive requests for small hats and just have nowhere to send them.

We can never have too many hats so please keep sending them in! Our partner organizations frequently tell us how much a warm hat means to those who receive them.

Small blankets, mittens...and Pals! 

Mittens are ALWAYS in high demand and we rarely are able to fill all the requests we receive for them. Thank you for continuing to make these coveted items!

NICU/small blankets are frequently requested by several organizations. These blankets must be no smaller than 26” and no larger than 30” on each side. They can be square, rectangular, or circular as long as they meet the size requirements. Knitted or crocheted blankets are preferred. 

We continue to have a strong need for Peace Pals, especially those with dark and medium skin tones. If you haven’t had a chance to see the YouTube videos of the Peace Pal Panel or workshops, please check them out! Our makers have done a great job of sharing their tips and tricks for successfully crafting Peace Pals. Consider joining us for the next Peace Pal Make-a-long, via Zoom, on January 8th.

Free Workshop Announcement:

Peace Pal Make-A-Longs

We have had 2 wonderful Peace Pal Make-A-Longs and they are receiving rave reviews! Our next one is January 8th with more to follow. Make sure you stay tuned to the newsletter for more updates! This workshop is completely free and open to everyone. Even if you do not want to make a Peace Pal, but would like the company of fellow crafters, please join us for the next workshop! Use the button on the right to register! You can check out the past workshops on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@knitting4peace629/videos

• January 8, 2025 (4-6pm MT): Accessories, fun hair, glasses 
• MORE DATES ANNOUNCED SOON!

Please note:

Our donation intake is run solely by volunteers. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to immediately acknowledge each package as it arrives. Remember, you can always track your package with your carrier.

Remember, mailing costs qualify as tax-deductible nonprofit donations. Keep your receipts!

Due to a lack of storage, K4P cannot accept yarn donations unless they are new and still in the original wrapper.

Thank you for understanding.

Mail or bring items to: 2600 N. Leyden St., Denver, CO 80207

Drop-Off hours: Monday through Thursday, 9am-12pm 

The church is no longer staffed by an assistant so please be sure to go during the timeframe mentioned above.

Ring the doorbell and you will be let into the church to drop off your items.

EACH mailed box or dropped-off bag must include a note with the DATE, NAME, MAILING ADDRESS, E-MAIL, AND PEACE POD.

HAVE A QUESTION ON HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING? ASK ARNA!

Are you ready to support the mission of Knitting4Peace?

Donate using the button below!

Contact Arna@knitting4peace.org 

with questions about patterns and guidelines.

Check out our social media posts for the latest news (links below).

If you have questions about deliveries or donations please email info@knitting4peace.org. 

ALL donations sustain our work. Donate online or mail checks to:
2600 Leyden Street, Denver, CO 80207

Donations to Knitting4Peace are tax-deductible.

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