Click here to see a list of the winners!
Warm Up Akron was started on April 4, 2000. We knit and crochet afghans for the needy in the Akron area, one 7 by 9" rectangle at a time. We donate our afghans to local homeless shelters, children's services, pregnancy services, and other agencies. We meet at the Mogadore Library in
Mogadore, Ohio (just outside of Akron) on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month (Library schedule permitting) from 3:30-5:00pm and from 6:30-8:00pm. We also meet at Danbury of Cuyahoga Falls on the first Tuesday of the month from 3-4:30pm. (View our calendar
for confirmed dates). As of April 13, 2009 we have donated ***4700*** afghans, numerous pairs of slippers, mittens, hats, scarves and
misc. other items.
Several of our donations have gone to the ACCESS, Inc. homeless shelter in downtown Akron. ACCESS houses up to 36 homeless women and children per night. They turn away thousands more each year.
The
afghans we donate really make a difference. The donation coordinator at the
shelter told us that the women "felt so special because they had something
of their own" when he gave out the original twelve afghans we donated.
Slippers are important because everyone at the shelter has to have something
other than just socks on their feet at all times.
We regularly donate afghans to ACCESS, the ACCESS Step II program, Akron Pregnancy Services, Summit County Children Services, PAL Mission, Miller Community House, Pregnancy Solutions & Services, Portage County Social Services, Harvest Home, Haven of Rest Men's Discipleship Program, Freedom House, First Step, The Akron Red Cross, Pregnancy Care, Alliance for Children and Families, First Glance Teen Moms and Stark County Children Services. We have made special one-time donations to Christ Child Society, Community Support Services, United Disability Services, The Bishop Cosgrove Center, Saint Joseph Parenting Center and The Youngstown Battered Women's Shelter.
Even
if you can't make it to the meetings at the Library, you can help. Every
7 by 9" rectangle or 7" square makes a piece of an afghan (see afghan sizes). You
can even make a whole afghan if you'd prefer. You can work at home, on your
own, and get the pieces to us. They can be mailed to the Library, mailed to me,
or I can even pick them up if necessary (and local!).
Sheryl
If
you have questions or comments, please e-mail
me at warmupakron@neo.rr.com!