Who We Are

Warmer Winters is a non-profit organization of volunteers who knit in their homes a variety of Winter garments including hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters and afghans. Warmer Winters gives the items we make to local shelters and agencies who work with people in need for their clients. Last year our 100 volunteers knitted/crocheted more than 3000 items. Hand-knit items make a difference.

An 8 year old boy said "This is the first new sweater I ever had. It's so warm".. We have men, women, girls and boys and we'll even teach you to knit if you don't know how but wish to volunteer. Some Warmer Winters volunteers also make things that we sell at Craft Fairs from time, so we also need people to staff tables. There is lots to do at Warmer Winters.

". The third Friday of every month is Knit Knite. It's a chance to share tips, patterns and conversation with other volunteers. It's also an opportunity to learn to knit or crochet for anyone interested in joining Warmer Winters. Warmer Winters also sponsors exciting and enjoyable events like Speed Knitting Contests and Knit-a -Thons. This year we will be having a very special fund raiser in October - a magic show with an award winning magician. Contact Judy Gentry by phone or e-mail for more information. Although Warmer Winters volunteers are primarily local, we also have volunteers from as far away as California and Florida who send what they make to us.

Warmer Winters also teaches knitting. We teach the elderly at Adult Day Programs. We teach youngsters at after-school programs, and we teach individuals with development disabilities as well. We also teach knitting at Knit Knites. Because knitting needles are expensive, we make our own.

We sand down dowels with sand paper, sharpen the points and smooth them, and then put erasers on the bottoms to keep the stitches from falling off the bottoms of the needles. Making knitting needles is our Day of Caring project.

What We Do

Warmer Winters has two primary missions. The first is to gift hand-knit warmth in the form of hats, scarves, mittens and sweaters to homeless people and other neighbors in need in our community. Our second mission is to teach elderly people and youngsters to knit, including individuals with disabilities. Our vision is to expand our area of giving to additional towns and agencies in central Massachusetts.

On a brutally cold day in the Winter of 2006, as I waited at a bus stop, I saw a young mother holding the raw, mittenless hands of two little girls. The children were crying, their ears as red as their hands. None of them had hats, scarves or mittens. I knew I had to do something. I'm a mediocre knitter. I went home, knit 10 scarves and donated them to a shelter. It was a drop in the ocean. I then realized that other people might like to do the same thing. A small ad in the paper for volunteers resulted in seven women joining the group. That Winter Warmer Winters distributed 200 items.

A Fellowship from Community Builders made it possible for Warmer Winters to grow from a small knitting group into a thriving organization. Without the assistance we received both in funds and technical assistance, there would be no Warmer Winters today. In June of 2007, we moved to our current site in the Congregational Church of Christ in North Leominster. Warmer Winters is not connected with the church, but they are very generous to us. we are fortunate to have a very large room where we store our knitted and crocheted items. Last year we "gifted"more than 3,000 items.

We are entering our 10th season and now have volunteers from 8 to 94. We gift to more than 40 agencies. During the year, we run a number of fund raising events. We are an all-volunteer non-profit organization and give yarn free to all our volunteers so that even crafters who cannot afford yarn can still contribute to the community.