Project Warm-up volunteers use the yarn they receive from the WA-ID Volunteer Center to knit or crochet items such as hats, scarves, lap robes, mittens, and baby blankets all year long. The Volunteer Center stores the completed items during the year, then brings the items out of storage in late October to be distributed among the clients of numerous nonprofit agencies within our service area.
In 2023, 51 volunteers gave more than 21,370 hours to make over 4600 hand-knitted, crocheted, and quilted items. These cold-weather items were donated to nonprofits such as Coats for Families, Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program, local elementary schools, Northwest Children's Home, Tammany Alternative School, YWCA, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, American Cancer Society, St. Vincent de Paul Social Services, Boys and Girls Clubs of the LC Valley and Lapwai, CAP Food Bank, Asotin County Food Bank, American Red Cross Disaster Services, and the ID State Veteran’s Home, among others.
Volunteers are able to use the yarn provided by the Volunteer Center. The program is partially supported through annual donations by AVISTA Utilities and the Rotary Club. We also rely heavily on yarn donations from generous members of the community. Volunteers can use their own patterns, or the Volunteer Center can provide patterns upon request.
Most Project Warm-up volunteers knit or crochet from home, but there is a group of volunteers who meet at the Lewiston Community Center from 1:30 - 3:00 on Wednesday afternoons. They welcome anyone who would like to join them!
If you would like more information about this program, call the WA-ID Volunteer Center at 208-746-7787.
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