Worthy Wednesdays: Emily’s Hats for Hope

After Hurricane Sandy while coordinating the Spreading the Warmth Effort I found Emily’s Hats for Hope on Facebook and I am so excited to share Emily and her story with you all today…See below for Emily’s post…..

 

Hi everyone! My name is Emily Kubin and I am a freshman at Drew University in Madison, NJ.  I grew up in Morris County NJ and at an early age I began to notice that there was a homeless population in my community. It always troubled me knowing that there were people living on the streets of Morristown, just a mile or two from my home. As a child, I did not feel there was much I could do to help, but as I grew into my teens I began to wonder if there might be some way that I could give the homeless people in my town a little hope. I knew I could not solve their homeless situation but I could show them that someone cares.

 

It was in my junior year in high school that I had the idea to knit winter hats for the homeless and working poor in my town. I spent my Christmas vacation knitting eight hats and then I brought them to our local soup kitchen where they were met with great enthusiasm. I knew right then that I had found my mission—my purpose. I created Emily’s Hats For Hope Initiative, an organization that provides the homeless and working poor with warm winter hats, scarves, gloves, afghans, etc. I then launched a Facebook page to help spread the word. It wasn’t long before people began sending beautiful hand-made winter hats, scarves, afghans, etc. for us to donate to those in need. We started setting goals to keep our knitters excited about what we were doing. Our first goal was to make and collect 1,000 winter hats by December 2012 (we posted the goal in March 2012). We were not sure if we would be able to make that goal in time but we did! In fact, we reached it in June, six months early! We were so excited! Now, after less than two years we have reached another huge milestone—our 10,000^th hat! When we think of all the people who are being helped as a result of these hats, it astounds us.

Many people have been inspired to do what we are doing and this has resulted in the creation of over thirty global spinoffs in the US, Canada, Denmark and Australia. When I dropped off those first eight hats, I never dreamed this idea would become a global initiative.

The past two years have changed me. They have shaped me and taught me that kindness and compassion still exist in the world.  I have learned that teens have the power to make a difference and if they show true conviction in their actions, others will follow.

If you would like to learn more about our upcoming projects and how you can get involved please join us by clicking the following links:

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilysHatsForHopeInitiative

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmilysHats4Hope

 

Email: hats4hopeinitiative@yahoo.com

 

Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/emilys-hats-for-hope-initiative

Media Links:

tv: News 12 NJ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGUcyXfEG5A

 

Ebru Today TV interview: http://ebrutoday.com/topics/human-interest/1613-hats-for-hope.html

 

The Star Ledger: http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/01/emilys_hats_for_hope_new_jerse.html