Beyond Knitting
It’s Back: A Knit-A-Thon for Food
Hello everybody,
An amazing fundraiser in the knitting community is back for its fourth year. Started by designer and teacher Laura Nelkin, Knit for Food. External Link. Opens in new window. is a 12-hour knit-a-thon that raises money to relieve hunger in our nation and world.
A lot of money.
In 2021, over $265,000. (Dollars!)
In 2022, over $271,000. (Cash money!)
In 2023, a cool $340,000!
This year, with just 9 days left before the day of the knit-a-thon (March 23), Knit-A-Thon fundraisers are well on their way to crushing past records.
Where does the money go?
The funds raised are divided equally among these 4 organizations:
Feeding America . External Link. Opens in new window.
World Central Kitchen. External Link. Opens in new window.
No Kid Hungry. External Link. Opens in new window.
Meals on Wheels. External Link. Opens in new window.
Click on the links to learn more—these are organizations with a proven track record of alleviating hunger and food insecurity. They are charities that you may already know and support, and now you can support them with your fellow knitters.
What is the knit-a-thon?
It sounds like a heck of a party will happen on March 23, with myriad ways to get together virtually and in person, wherever you live.
But they had us at “12 hours of knitting.” Read about all the ways to join the fun here. External Link. Opens in new window.. You can attend a public meet-up, or you can just stay home, feet up and needles blazing.
How can we support?
Join the knit-a-thon. Setting up a fundraiser page and raising money from friends, family, and followers. This is the option with maximum fun and friendliness.
Donate. Look at all the knitters, crocheters, and crafters who will be handworking their hearts out on March 23 here. . External Link. Opens in new window.Pick one, smash that donate button, and instantly become part of a community project that is making a real difference.
And of course, you can support Knit for Food by sharing their content all over the internet, including your own social media networks. Start with their easy-to-remember Instagram hashtag: #knitforfood. It’s a grassroots effort, and nobody’s network is too small to help. . External Link. Opens in new window.:
Want to be inspired?
Gaye Glasspie aka @ggmadeit. External Link. Opens in new window., aka Team GG. External Link. Opens in new window. , , , is a top fundraiser for Knit for Food. What motivates Gaye? Watch her short video. External Link. Opens in new window. up top, and be inspired.
Many of us can think of a loved one who made sure others were not hungry; we have a chance to remember them by supporting Knit for Food. Find GG’s fundraising page here. External Link. Opens in new window..
If you’re moved to leave a comment, we’d love to hear about someone in your life who helped feed those in need. (Kay’s grandma Pearl’s giant pots of chicken and dumplings were legend in East Omaha. Legend!)
Thank you GG! Thank you Laura! Thank you every single Knit for Food fundraiser, donor, and knitter! We can’t wait to see what you all do this year—we’re all behind you, knitting for food.
Love,
Ann and Kay
Fired up and ready to go!
During the pandemic I volunteered delivering meals for our local school district. So many children receive two meals a day at school and without that support they were food insecure. Joining this fundraiser has been so important to me to continue helping to fight food insecurity and hunger. Thank you MDK !
I volunteer for an organization that provides food to children on the weekends and for all the school breaks. These are children who really need the meals provided in the school day and time away from school would means less food without this support.
World Central Kitchen is a great organization too.
About five years ago, a dear friend suggested we stop giving each other gifts for birthdays and holidays, and instead make donations to organizations in the fight against hunger. Now, we make the donations across local, national, or global orgs. Another way to give that is near to our knitting hearts, in my community the Meals on Wheels chapter accepts donations of handknits for the folks who receive meals – keeping them warm inside and out! Thanks for promoting Knit for Food!!
Friends and family know I knit and sew. Whenever someone requests that I make something for them the price is a donation to their local food bank. I periodically donate to my local food bank and The World Central Kitchen, which seems to get boots on the ground quickly in areas of conflict or disaster. What I cannot do is knit for 12 hours straight, but thanks for the links to support someone who can.
I love this idea! I never like to ask for money for knitting, because the money is never worth as much as the time and love invested. But I can definitely ask people to donate to their local food bank.
All really great and worthy organizations! What a cool, fun thing.
Wonderful idea. I admit I never heard of it before but am loooking forward to joining in. Thank you.
Registered last week. Have raised almost $300 donated by my friends. Everybody should participate. No amount is too small!
This is such a wonderful fundraiser. We donate to WCK often, but I’m glad to support these other charities, too. I hadn’t realized that Laura Nelkin was behind this. Kudos to her.
This is my fourth Knit for Food Knit-a-thon, but this year is different because it is to honor my mother who died this past December. She volunteered at her local food bank for many years and made sure her friends and neighbors had access to food. Thank you, Charlotte.
Love this idea. Donated.
Thanks so much for sharing Ann and Kay!!! Xoxo
WCK gets donations from us a lot; glad that other groups will also share in our donation. It’s such a beautiful idea, to do something you love and raise money for these four charities in the forefront of getting food to those who need it. Bravi to all, and Laura Nelkin, take a bow!
Thank you so much for sharing about the Knit for Food Knitathon, Kay & Ann!
Food insecurity is real, not only in other countries, but here in America, too. Which is heartbreaking!
I have friends (in several states) who help deliver for Meals on Wheels, and garden groups I’ve been a part of donate produce from our demonstration gardens to the local food bank. Every little bit matters. Let’s do what we can to craft a better world.
http://www.knitforfood.com