Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Lands' End FeelGood Initiative Reaches Goal Warms Over 25,000 Hearts and Heads This Season

DODGEVILLE, Wis., Dec. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- It took four months, more than 5,000 pounds of donated yarn and hundreds of talented volunteers to knit over 25,000 hats for homeless individuals across the country as part of the Lands' End FeelGood initiative. Lands' End kicked off the FeelGood campaign in September in an effort to warm the homeless and displaced this season. For every Lands' End FeelGood sweater purchased, the company donated signature FeelGood yarn to One Heart Foundation's Warming Families, a nationwide knitting charity. Hundreds of volunteer knitters embraced the challenge many knitting for the entire four months resulting in a total of 29,560 hats knitted and donated to homeless organizations from coast to coast.

"The results of this campaign are simply heart warming," said Nick Coe, president, Lands' End. "We are truly grateful to the volunteers that donated their time and talents to such a rewarding and meaningful effort."

Lands' End donated more than 5,000 pounds of proprietary FeelGood yarn that is as soft as cashmere but offers the durability and value of cotton. The company offers a FeelGood sweater collection in a variety sweater styles for women and wanted to find a way to utilize the yarn in a meaningful way this season.

As a result, yarn was delivered to hundreds of Warming Family volunteers as well as Lands' End employees and local community members. Vickie Howell, best-selling craft author, knitting personality and host of TV's Knitty Gritty also worked with Lands' End to help instruct novice knitters, create hat patterns for the campaign and to host "knit out" events to keep the momentum going. Additionally New York Times best-selling author Kate Jacobs supported the initiative by joining knit outs across the country and reading from The Friday Night Knitting Club and Knit the Season.

"We are thrilled that our volunteer knitters have accomplished the amazing goal of knitting thousands of hats and meeting our mission of helping families," said Alan Osmond, Warming Families. "Through yarn donations and knitting by our volunteers, we were able to help thousands of families in need this winter. We thank the volunteers for sharing their hearts this season."

About Warming Families

Warming Families, a project of the One Heart Foundation www.oneheart.org, is a 100% volunteer project that delivers blankets and other warm items to the homeless and displaced while strengthening families through charity work. At the heart of this project are area volunteers who function to coordinate efforts and locate and supply local shelters and nursing homes.

SOURCE

1 comment:

Lu Ann Brobst Staheli said...

http://thefamily.com/award.asp