Friends,
As we close out another year at Knitting4Peace, we’re filled with gratitude for the makers, donors, Peace Pods, volunteers, and supporters who keep this mission alive. Every stitch and every gift helps us bring comfort, dignity, and hope to communities facing hardship—and we couldn’t do it without you. This year, however, we’re facing a significant challenge. We are currently $10,000 behind our 2025 fundraising goal, a gap that will directly impact the programs we’re able to offer in 2026. To continue meeting rising needs and supporting partners locally and around the world, we truly need your help.
If you’re planning an end-of-year gift, please remember that contributions must be received or postmarked by December 31, 2025. Those eligible for Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from an IRA can also support Knitting4Peace in a tax-advantaged way—just ensure your custodian sends the distribution directly to us before the deadline. However you support our work—through making, giving, or sharing our story—please know how profoundly grateful we are. Your generosity keeps our mission moving forward, stitch by stitch. With heartfelt appreciation,
Kelly, Jo, and the K4P Family |
| END OF YEAR GIVING
- Your Year End Gift to Knitting4Peace is Tax Deductible and helps us continue programming into 2026.
- Mail checks to Knitting4Peace, 2600 Leyden St, Denver, CO 80227
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Checks and online gifts must be dated on or before 12/31/2025
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You can make a tax-free gift to Knitting4Peace directly from your IRA through what’s called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). This type of gift can satisfy all or part of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) and may reduce your taxable income—making it a powerful way to support the programs you care about.
Knitting4Peace is a registered 501c3. Tax ID: 74-3227542 |
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Community Member of the Month: Family Tree in Lakewood, CO |
We are excited this month to feature Family Tree, one of our Knitting4Peace Community Partners. We recently spoke with Cindy Gillings, a Family Tree Development Associate, who serves as our primary contact at the organization. She took time out of her busy schedule to fill us in on current needs within this robust metro Denver organization.
The mission of Family Tree is to serve people navigating poverty, trauma, and crisis who have a need for safety, stability, and support. This year alone, Family Tree has served over 6,465 people, including more than 2,600 children. They provide emergency shelter, advocacy services, parenting support, and 3 housing facilities for those in need. Family tree utilizes an integrated, trauma-informed, multi-generational approach as they understand that domestic violence, child abuse, and homelessness are often deeply interconnected. They believe it is important to understand the trauma individuals have experienced and to offer care that truly meets individuals and families where they are. Across every program, every client—child, adult, and family—is surrounded by coordinated care that promotes resilience and hope. Through this integrated approach, Family Tree empowers the people they serve to rebuild their lives and achieve lasting self-sufficiency.
Knitting4Peace began partnering with Family Tree in 2023 when we reached out to see if we might be able to support them in the care they offered to clients. Cindy quickly jumped on our offer and we made our first delivery of hats, scarves, baby blankets, and Peace Pals. Cindy admits to being “extremely infatuated” with the Peace Pals. She says she adores them all and loves how unique each one is. One of Cindy’s favorite activities is to allow the children who arrive at Family Tree to choose a Peace Pal that speaks to them. She says that it is meaningful that there are so many different options, with representation from different cultures. Children can find a special Peace Pal that will comfort them during a current crisis and become a forever friend.
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As a multi-county agency in a large metropolitan area, Family Tree has so many ongoing needs. Cindy shared that blankets and quilts of all sizes are very much in demand. Hats, mittens, and scarves are wonderful for the cold months. And, she adds, you cannot ever have too many Peace Pals! As a reference point, this past year, we delivered 470 Peace Pals to Family Tree but they served 2,600 children. Knitting4Peace would like to be able to share more blankets and many more Peace Pals with this special agency.
Cindy asked that we share the following message with our Knitting4Peace makers: “Your creations are so well-received and appreciated by all. I just want you all to know how grateful we are for what you do. It matters. Big time. It is so nice for us to be able to offer these wonderful items to people who need them and who will cherish them. Family Tree and our clients are so fortunate to be supported by such a wonderful group of people who put so much love and care in the things you make!! You are all so kind!”
Knitting4Peace is sending a big THANK YOU right back to Cindy and Family Tree for all THEY do to make our community and world a safer, healthier, and more supportive place for all of us. We’re all in this together! Thanks, Family Tree, for being our Community Member of the Month!
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Consistency Matters: Blankets and Quilts of all Sizes
As you know, we have many organizations who request baby blankets and we are always scrambling to meet the need as best we can. We have recently begun to receive requests for larger blankets and quilts from organizations like Family Tree, our featured “Community Member of the Month.” Below are a few reminders of guidelines for blankets and quilts. Please remember to sew in your yarn ends and insure there are no animal hairs or perfumes on any knitted or sewn goods you donate to Knitting4Peace.
Small sizes for baby blankets for our Community Partners serving young infants are always needed. Please ensure that all small sized baby blankets and quilts are no smaller than 26”in width and length, and no larger than 30”. They can be square, rectangular, round, or star-shaped as long as they are no smaller than 26” and no larger than 30”. This is one of our most requested sizes for NICUs and some international programs. Please do not make blankets with lacy patterns as the holes can pose a challenge for little fingers and toes.
Regular baby blankets that are larger than 30” and up to 52” are a very popular size. These are shared with several programs serving families with young children and with hospital programs. Child friendly patterns in gender neutral colors are especially needed. Lap or throw blankets are quite variable in size. These are meant to provide warmth and comfort, covering adult legs and feet. They typically are anywhere from 40” to 60” in width and length.
Larger blankets or quilts have been requested and would typically include knitted, crocheted, or quilted items that are twin-sized or larger. These would be cost-prohibitive to mail but local donations are welcome. |
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Blankets, Mittens, & Peace Pals |
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We value all the donations you send us and most items are quickly sent out to those in need. However, we often are unable to meet all the requests we receive for some items.
Right now, that includes blankets/quilts of all sizes over 26”, mittens, and Peace Pals. Most of all we want you to enjoy making the items you send us as donations.
We know that those who receive them really DO feel the love and care with which they are made. THANK YOU for your ongoing kindness! |
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The Fine Print: *Customers must have a registered King Soopers or City Market loyalty card account to link to your organization.
*If you do not yet have a King Soopers or City Market loyalty card, they are available at the customer service desk at any King Soopers or City Market
REMEMBER, purchases will not count for K4P until after your register your loyaltycard.
You must swipe your registered King Soopers or City Market loyalty card or use the phone number that is related to your registered King Soopers or City Market loyalty card when shopping for each purchase to count.
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Have you registered with your Kroger store yet?
Please consider linking your Kroger rewards card with K4P. It's free to you and allows us a small monthly donation from the corporation.
Our assigned Kroger NPO (Non-Profit Organization) number is HL532.
To Use the King Soopers or City Market Community Rewards Program:
Simply visit the appropriate link below for your store:
For King Soopers Stores - go to http://www.kingsoopers.com
For City Market Stores - go to http://www.citymarket.com
Once logged into your King Soopers or City Market account you can search for Knitting4Peace either by name or HL532 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a loyalty card.
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| Please note: Our donation intake is run solely by volunteers. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to immediately acknowledge each package as it arrives. Remember, you can always track your package with your carrier.
Remember, mailing costs qualify as tax-deductible nonprofit donations. Keep your receipts! Due to a lack of storage, K4P cannot accept yarn donations unless they are new and still in the original wrapper.
Thank you for understanding. |
| Mail or bring items to: 2600 N. Leyden St., Denver, CO 80207
Drop-Off hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9am-12pm The church is no longer staffed by an assistant so please be sure to go during the timeframe mentioned above.
Ring the doorbell and you will be let into the church to drop off your items. EACH mailed box or dropped-off bag must include a note with the DATE, NAME, MAILING ADDRESS, E-MAIL, AND PEACE POD. Did you make a local delivery this month? Click the button below to report it and don't forget to send pics! |
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Special thanks to Park Hill Congregational Church for their continued support and allowing us to share their space in Denver. |
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HAVE A QUESTION ON HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING? ASK ARNA! |
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Are you ready to support the mission of Knitting4Peace? Donate using the button below! |
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Contact Arna@knitting4peace.org with questions about patterns and guidelines. Check out our social media posts for the latest news (links below). If you have questions about deliveries or donations please email info@knitting4peace.org. ALL donations sustain our work. Donate online or mail checks to:
2600 Leyden Street, Denver, CO 80207
Donations to Knitting4Peace are tax-deductible. |
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