We all love getting snail mail.  Packages, handwritten letters, cards, surprises from our loved ones, so why not give someone else the opportunity to experience that same pleasure?  Someone who by all accounts may not get any packages, at any time.   What am I talking about you ask?  I’m talking about Foster Care To Success and their Red Scarf Project.

You’re probably getting tired of hearing me talk about the news, but I can’t help it.  More and more as it unfolds, we hear of the under-funding and de-funding of social/human services, arts and humanities, science driven programs, lunch programs and it breaks my heart.  As someone who has worked in the social services industry for the last 15 years and understands how much these vital services mean to those who utilize them, it pains me to see that the new government administration thinks so little of the services, the providers and most importantly, those who need them.   I’m not rich, so I can’t provide any kind of endowment, but I have sticks, hooks, yarn and caring in my arsenal and I know you do too.  So what does this have to do with the Red Scarf Project?  Let me tell you.

The project is aimed at providing red scarves for young adults in foster care who instead of just aging out of the system  have decided to go to college.  These scarves are part of their Valentine’s day care package.  If you have sticks, hooks, a loom and red yarn (or some shade of red yarn), you’re already equipped to help.  All that’s required is that you make a scarf 60 inches long, 5 to 8 inches wide.  That’s it!  Cards of encouragement, gift cards, other little tokens are appreciated but totally optional.   According to the website, in the first year of the project, they sent out 25,000 scarves.  That means 25,000 foster care students received a care package in the mail.  That’s a whole lot of scarves and a whole lot of love but we need to keep it going.

The details of the project are here including where to mail the scarves to.  They are to be sent in between Sept 1 and December 15, so crafters, we have a few months to get some done with the same determination and precision we got those p&ssy hats done.

I’m usually very cautious in recommending charity organizations publicly because some of them are poorly run with some non profit execs being just as unscrupulous as the corporate ones.  However the stats, especially regarding spending and transparency of Foster Care To Success on Charity Navigator makes my non-profit loving heart happy.

I’m not asking you to do a whole lot of scarves, all you need to do is just one.  ❤

Are you in?!!!!