Twenty five women, ages 79 to 100, at the Holland Christian Home in North Haledon, N.J., have knitted more than 1,000 blankets in the past six years.
Over 100 of those blankets went to the Crossroads Community Ministry, an outreach ministry of Madison Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Paterson, N.J. The blankets are used in two Discipleship Houses, facilities for men who are recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.
Tom Henion, director, commented that the men love the blankets so much, they’re given one when they graduate from the program.
The women are currently knitting 20 blankets for homeless and needy families served by Northside Community CRC in Paterson. Other blankets go to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
Doris Lucas, a resident at the home and member of Ridgewood (N.J.) CRC, coordinates the program with help from Warm-up America, a national organization dedicated to recruiting and training volunteers to make clothing for those in need.
There are benefits to the knitters as well as to the recipients, Lucas states. “It keeps the fingers and minds nimble and provides a real sense of value by contributing to the needs of others.”
Yarn for the program is donated by local Sunday school children, the residents, and once by an anonymous shopper who paid for a large order when she found out how the yarn was used.
—Calvin Hulstein
