This fall, Project Knitwell launched two new programs to share the therapeutic power of knitting with very different communities.
In the brand-new Ronald McDonald Room at INOVA-Children’s Hospital, volunteer Shelly will visit on the first and third Mondays of every month. On her first visit she taught both a patient and a RM volunteer to knit, and she is looking forward to teaching patients, family members, hospital staff and volunteers how to cope with stress through knitting.
On the other side of the Potomac, in Washington DC, Project Knitwell and N Street Village, the largest provider in the city of housing and supportive services for women experiencing homelessness, have partnered to launch a weekly knitting circle for women coping with housing insecurity, and combating addiction and other mental health challenges.
As Michelle Maynard, Project Knitwell’s Executive Director, noted of the expansion, “Science is starting to catch up with what knitters already know. Knitting can help people cope with stress, foster a sense of accomplishment, engender a sense of community, and provide a positive alternative to negative behaviors.”
As always, Project Knitwell provides all supplies and instruction free of charge to the people we serve. If you are interested in supporting either of these new ventures, please check out our donations page.
