SWAP: Scarves With A Purpose at the University of Michigan

February Delivery!

We made another delivery today of 158 scarves! Good job everyone!

Here is the breakdown:

-33 men’s

-49 women’s

-28 boys’

-48 girls’

The scarves will go to various ASB sites through U of M.

Sunshine Knitters

We just received a donation of 19 scarves from the “Sunshine Knitters,” a group of elderly ladies in a nursing home in Florida. They rock! Read the attached letter from them:

“Here are some scarves. I held back 3 of Sylvia weavers to send along next month. I now have a wonderful professional knitter helping people learn some new stitches. Judy has the patience of Job and has just started coming to me on Friday afternoons. So I hope my work will improve. I cannot tell you how much your endeavor has helped me. I look forward to knitting each day–as do most of us who can still do handwork. Couple of ladies have died, but Dorothy Barnard (now 107 years old) is too ill to knit. Her sister and caregiver says she always smiles when the knitting project is mentioned. I do want you to know that Edythe still does all of the crocheted edges. Thanks for making a lot of old ladies happy with something worthwhile to do. Affectionately, Ann Hall.”

My mom says, “if you ever doubt the effect of your work, read this.”

Article in Shei Magazine

check it out!

http://www.sheimagazine.com/blog/2011/um-student-org-swap-proves-that-knitting-isnt-just-for-grandmas-anymore/

NSO-Tumani Center Delivery

Yesterday, 10 of us went to Detroit at 9:30 am to delivery 195 scarves, 13 hats, and 2 headbands. As we were getting in the vans, one of them wouldn’t turn on because the battery was dead! So Emily nicely drove some people in her own car. We first met at ETS (Ecumenical Theological Seminary) in Detroit for a couple hours to make up the necessity holiday bags (75 men’s and 75 women’s). There were many different chapters of Masons there, and this was their big holiday project. They were all extremely appreciative of our donations and kept saying how much they loved our scarves! They talked with us a lot and said if we ever need help, they will be willing! We had some extras because some other people brought in scarves, also, but they said they will use the leftovers for their next project in January.

The holiday bags, full of deodorant, toothpaste, food, scarves, hats, and gloves were delivered to the NSO-Tumani Center in Detroit on 3430 Third Avenue. Originally, we were going to be handing out the bags ourselves and meeting the homeless people, but one we arrived, they decided it was too dangerous because there had been problems there lately. Even their group wouldn’t let their own women go in; they had 5 men hand them out. It was a let down, but we were still lucky enough to see the outside of the center and see some of the homeless people standing outside waiting.

It was interesting to see how different the homeless population is from Ann Arbor and Evanston. They have really been neglected and it is sad that very few people try to help. It is usually only people who actually live in Detroit, but very few.

Overall, it was very successful and hopefully we will join efforts with them again! We were lucky that Ayiba and Wendy found out about this group and referred us to Shantelle, an admissions officer at U of M.

Circle K Service Day

Last night, SWAP participated in Circle K’s 24 hour service day. We had knitting lessons and supplies available from 7-11 pm in the Ginsberg Center, and we had about 35 people knit with us! It was a great success. We will hopefully be receiving about half of the funding as a reimbursement from Circle K (we spent $320 so should get about $160 back).

We met some new, funny people and had a great time

Michigan Daily Article

Here’s the link!

http://www.michigandaily.com/content/campus-clubs-scarves-purpose-0

In the Union

Val, Bethany, and I were studying in the union one night when we heard a homeless man raising his voice at some other students who were studying. We noticed in the middle of the conversation. He was saying something like “don’t ignore me!” and kept harrassing them for money. It was really scary because one of the students got up to get help since the situation started looking dangerous, and the man said he was going to wait for him so he could “get him.” Long story short, the man left and everything was fine, but it made me wonder…

Was he stuck in a cycle of homelessness? Will he just get in more trouble now and go to jail and not be able to get out of the cycle because of the way our society is set up? Some people may say, “oh it’s his fault because he is addicted to drugs,” but is it his fault?

Fall 2010-What We’ve Been Up To!

Here is the update!

In the beginning of the year, I went to Delonis with David and  Ayiba to talk to the director and the volunteer coordinator about how to form a relationship with them and how to get to know the homeless community better. They agreed to set up an educational panel for the SWAP members and talk about the cycle of homelessness and the ways we can help them out.

We have also set up a Friday afternoon (about twice a month) event where we go to Glacier Hills Nursing Home in Ann Arbor and knit with some residents there! We had our first trip there and have another coming up on Nov. 19. Val, Sam, and I went and it was a ton of fun! The ladies were sassy and happy we were there.

Bethany is managing the star scarf chart well

Circle K is joining efforts with us–they brought along a bunch of knitters to make some scarves, and we also have shifts during their 24 hour service day on Nov. 13 and 14. We will help knitters from 7-9 pm, 9-11 pm, and 3-5 am.

We are attempting to get people to sign up on the WWFF website, but it’s not really working.

Jordan, Bethany, and Jessica created a t-shirt for us! We will be ordering it soon. It will cost about $15 and proceeds will go to yarn for the club.

Jordan is trying to start an official U of M SWAP website.

Sam has sent letters to 10 more yarn places asking for donations…we have yet to hear from them.

Taylor has been doing a great job with MSA and LSA funding and going to info sessions about how to apply for funding. On the same note, Andrew is fantastic with reimbursing me for yarn and helping out when needed.

We switched the meetings to be 9-11 every other week and 9-9:30 the other weeks. We will see how it works (the first 30 minute meeting is this upcoming Tuesday).

Still finding places to donate to…either 150 to the Tumaini Center or all of them to the Denby Center in Detroit.

Applied for the Ginsberg mini-grant but didn’t get any money. Applied for the LSA funding and got $150. Applied for EQ Hall gov’t funding and got $500!!

Jill and Sam did a fantastic job of facilitating the meeting one week.

Keegan and Michael have been researching homelessness/poverty info very well and present it almost every week (don’t present when there aren’t many people there). We have had some great discussions from this information.

Liz created a Ctools site for SWAP! Keegan and Emily helped me add names to it. Now all  we need to do is update the site…

Liz’s dad thought of a great idea to ask alumni for funding. We will be sending out letters for that soon hopefully.

We will start collecting $5 dues next semester…sad, but necessary.

We are in the process of collecting yarn from people who have taken some but aren’t knitting…it’s working (kinda) but not too well.

I am going to try to make a binder by the end of the year or semester (?) detailing all the ways SWAP is run (funding, donation places, how meetings are run, etc.) so the load is lifted off me and other people can take over in the future and once we graduate.

SWAP WAS IN THE MICHIGAN DAILY!

Those are the highlights for now!

Upcoming…

We (I) have failed at writing on this blog this school year. I will be updating soon with what we have been up to…

Lion Brand

recently received an email from Lion Brand saying they want to donate yarn! all thanks to Sam’s letter