Knit the Rainbow (KtR) was created in 2020 after the founder, Austin Rivers, discovered the housing disparities facing LGBTQ+ youth in New York City. KtR provides knitted clothing for this population, to help them survive the NYC winters.
“Austin learned to knit while performing on a tour in Japan and felt he could use these skills to provide warm protective winter garments for LGBTQ+ youth facing homelessness. KtR hopes to educate people across the country about the housing crisis these youth are facing and increase the number of youth served by asking volunteers to knit or crochet at home and donate the garments to KtR to be distributed in New York City.”
Knit the Rainbow focuses programming in 5 areas: Clothing development, design creation, community outreach, educating the masses, and Knit the Future.
You can see details of the entire program HERE.
This is an organization and program that would be helpful across the country for this homeless population. Kudos to Austin Rivers for taking care of the LGBTQ+ community in his city.
“Welcome to the “We are the World Blogfest” (#WATWB ). The #WATWB was inspired by a simple conversation about how all the negativity on social media was weighing on us. Wanting to make a difference we decided to try to do our part to infuse social media with all the good stories that are out there. We hope to share the stories that show kindness, compassion, hope, overcoming challenges and in general, the impressive resilience of the human spirit. For every dark, negative story out there, there is a positive, heartwarming story that will add some light and lift the human spirit.” ~Belinda Witzenhausen~
If you would like to join in with posting for #WATWB or simply spread some joy on Facebook or Twitter, please click HERE for more information, guidelines and the hosts for this month’s event. You can go HERE to be part of the #WATWB Community Facebook page, where monthly posts congregate for your reading pleasure.
This month’s post falls on Friday, January 28, 2021 – Mary J. Giese (https://maryjmelange.wordpress.com/ ) and Belinda Witzenhausen (https://www.BelindaWitzenhausen.com/) will be co-hosting.
Mary J Melange 
We need more kindness in our world. No child, no person should ever go without for any reason.
This is so correct, Pam. I often find it hard to swallow why so many people in this country are homeless and hungry when there are so many people who have more than enough in homes, food and things. This community, especially, needs our love and kindness.
I love it when individuals make a difference and then get others to help. It’s such a good cause. Children should not be cold or hungry – ever!
I agree, Dan. Children growing up cold or hungry is not right, so thank goodness for people like Austin who try to ensure that doesn’t happen in their community.
Good news of good being released in a world that lacks kindness where it is needed. We all do what we can – my personal peeve is that there are any people in the US that are food insecure. We have enough food to feed everyone yet far too many go hungry!
Oh, I agree about food insecurity. I volunteer with an organization that prepares hot meals for people in the community 3 days a week. We are supposed to be a super power country, but not so much for too many citizens.
Having worked in social housing in the LGBTQ community, I wish we had organizations like this in our community. Thanks so much for sharing this and for being such a great co-host!😊 Have a great weekend!😊
Being in the winter frigid zone of Wisconsin, I can so appreciate the value of this org, Belinda. I can’t imagine living outside in the winter, let alone do it without warm clothing.
I hear you, in Toronto it can get pretty frigid too. Homelessness seems to be more prevalent since the pandemic started and with many shelters lowering capacity I think it’s hitting crisis levels, we need organizations like this.🥺
What a wonderful organization. I am charmed by their simple mission. Thanks for sharing this here today.
If only I could knit, Ally, I would definitely want to help them in some way…or help my own community.
What a lovely enterprise (and organization, and what a perfect name.) Keeping homeless people warm–that and saving them from hunger are high on the most needed list. Thanks for sharing this heart warming story.
You’re welcome, Lizbeth. I’m always glad to share stories of love and caring, especially when it involves taking care of marginalized populations.
Thanks for sharing about this organization. I visited their website and saw that they do a lot of good work. I was initially surprised by the statistics they shared, like at least 40% of the homeless youth in New York City identify as LGBTQ+ and there aren’t enough services available. But it’s not really surprising, just wrong. Compassion needs to be a priority. All children should be warm and safe.
I completely agree with you about children being safe and warm, JoAnna. As has been stated here, it’s shameful and embarrassing that our country has so many homeless and hungry kids. We have to do better at not worrying about “having” and take care of the have-nots.
Thank you for sharing information about this program. I’ll share with my knitting friends!
That’s great, Laurie! Thanks for sharing for a good cause. ❤