Knitting and crocheting are great ways to give back; you get a peaceful hobby, and society stays warm and cosy through the winter. These organisations need your needles and hooks:
South Africa (24 January 2025) – As South Africans pick up new “granny hobbies” like crochet and knitting, they are finding that the hobby allows for giving back to society. Whether just making Granny Squares or challenging oneself to make an entire blanket, knitting baby booties, beanies and preemie octopuses, or the most adorable dog jerseys, there is a way to use wool to give back to others.
This charity list features organisations that try to make winter more bearable for the many who face it under-resourced, whether knitting beanies, blankets, booties and beanies, soft toys and scarves. These organisations specifically welcome knitted and crochet items or facilitate the purchase of these items in support of other causes.
They also welcome donations of wool, which they can give to some of their most regular contributors, who are often our golden oldies keeping busy. If you would like to knit your way into the hearts of others, this is where to help:
Please note that this is a working list, so keep sending it through your charities, and we will keep adding them!
- 67 Blankets (National) – Website / Facebook
- Beanies for Babies (Bloemfontein, FS) – Facebook
- Beanies for Beings (Northriding, GP) – Facebook
- Bless a Baby (Cape Town and Bloemfontein) – Website / Facebook
- Blankets for Rhinos (Working in the UK, sending donations to SA) – Website / Facebook
- Bowlers 4 Babies (Margate, KZN) – Facebook
- Crochet for Cancer (National) – Facebook
- The Grace Factory (GP and KZN) – Website / Facebook
- Kindness Like Confetti – Joseph Jersey Project (Linden, GP) – Website / Facebook
- Knit-a-Square (National) – Website / Facebook
- Knysna Blanket Angels (Knysna, WC) – Facebook
- Kya Crafts – Project Purpose (Kya Sands, GP) – Website / Facebook
- Mama Themba (Helderberg/Stellenbosch, WC) – Website / Facebook
- Woman Zone – Knit and Natter Club (Working in Cape Town) – Facebook
- Zhara’s Little Lamb Project (National) – Facebook
If we have missed an organisation or charity specialising in knitted goods, please email tyler@goodthingsguy.com and we will add it soonest; kindly supply the relevant links as well as which province they work in, the NPO/NGO/NPC registration details and a brief description of what the organisation does.
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