Providing handmade items of
care and comfort to people in need
established 2000
MailingAddress: 13 Genesee Street Mount Morris, NY USA
OUR MISSION
Rooted in our love of handiwork, and our concern for others, our work provides handmade items that offer care and comfort to people in need of emotional, physical or spiritual care. We distribute our finished items through agencies and to referred individuals.
Our meetings provide a supportive and encouraging place for members to learn and practice their skills and creativity.
BACKGROUND
The Handiwork Ministry has its roots in an informal group that met at St. Agnes Church, Avon, NY in March 2000. The group began by evaluating skills, assessing community needs, taking stock of supplies and individual commitments of time.
The group is not denominational. Church affiliation is not required for membership. We do ask that members have an appreciation of handiwork and have a desire to be of service to other people. We offer a supply yarn and accessories or members may provide their own (no wool please). We do not not solicit monetary donations and we do not sell our handmade items.
People of all skill levels, including beginners are welcome. Also needed are people to sort yarn, and package finished items, and deliver to locations in our communities, usually twice a year.
Attendance is not mandatory, but we hope members will come as often as possible, as the presence of each person allows us to create a supportive atmosphere. Some of our members work only from home. As outreach has grown to include southern Livingston and northern Steuben counties in WNY, and some national sites, we need more helping hands. As you read more, please consider joining us.
We have also been blessed with many "long distance" members from all over the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. We have a few international members as well. These members can contact us through email to see if we have any local members traveling in their area in hopes we can arrange a pickup, or they may ship their finished items to us. PLEASE use the mailing address at the beginning of this page. We can't accept postage due items (using our old address creates a postage due situation). Finished items should be laundered befor shipping (except of walker bags, hot/cold packs, ornaments, or items that are not worn).
HELP FOR STITCHERS
For those of you who are just beginning to knit or those who would like to feel supported in what they already know, we suggest: www.knittinghelp.com, online video. You can also try www.knitpicks.com for their tutorials. They offer lots of help for techniques as well as for their projects. They are a great source for yarns and needles too, as is Lion Brand Yarn's website Cross Stitchers can go to www.yarntree,com for a 5 minute video that teaches this technique. As with any skill, good results requires practice. Be realistic in your expectations, and remember, even if every stitch is not perfect, the love behind your stitching is!
PROJECTS
If you're not sure of what to make, check out our pattern page for some of our standards. Individual groups should be consulted about their specific needs. Be sure to check the groups listed under "MEETINGS".
DONATIONS As we do not solicit monetary donations our work depends on gifts of donated materials.
The items we create are made from cotton or synthetic yarn (full skeins preferred) and cotton or cotton/blend fabric (in one yard increments-small pieces are rarely used) and cord for
stringing bags.
We also use plastic food storage bags, clear recycling bags and wide cellophane tape for packaging. Postage stamps and most office supplies such as copying paper, envelopes, permanent makers and labels are helpful. Items may be left at one of our meeting sites, mailed or call or email to make arrangements.
MEETINGS FOR 2012-2013
2012 - 2013
Site #1
St. Agnes Church Office 108 Prospect St. Avon. NY
Meeting quarterly: the FIRST Wednesday of Nov., Feb., May & Aug.
Nov. 7- hat, gloves, scarves (turn-in)
Feb. 6- baby blankets
May 1- shawls, hot & cold packs
Aug. 7 - lap robes, walker bags
6:30 pm Supply pickup and project drop-off.
7-8 pm Meeting in Teen Room.
(Use walk between garage & white office building, rear entrance, ground level)
Katy Heneghan, Volunteer Coordinator
We ask members to launder finished items before drop off. Items that are not worn, like walker bags, do not have to be laundered. If anyone can't do this, be sure to attach a note to the item stating it needs laundering. This policy is observed as many of the items we make are sent to care facilities, and patients may have immune problems which could be made worse by allergens or smoking residue. It's essential that afghans, baby items, clothing, etc. are clean.
On meeting nights, the area is open for drop off of finished items or pickup of supplies at 6:30 pm. Meetings are from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Members are encouraged to work on projects at home and at meetings. Meeting time will offer discussion and skill support. If you can't attend meetings, be sure to share your ideas and concerns with us through emails. If you do not have an email address, please provide an up to date USPS address so we can send you information as it becomes available. Katy and Julie will share their phone numbers upon request.
Site #2
Episcopal SeniorLife Communities at Brentland Woods
3831 E. Henrietta Rd., Henrietta, NY
585-32101490
(Use side street by Peter's Episcopal Church, which
leads to parking area and building's main entrance.)
Kim Rivera, Volunteer Coordinator
The group is open to ESLC residents and welcomes residents of the greater communtiy as well. The group primarily works on crochet, knit and simple sewing items. Bring your ideas to share.
Jan. - Dec. 3rd Monthly Thursday 10 Am - 12 Noon.
Site #3
Ringgold Church of Christ
Hagerstown, MD
Cathy Bumbaugh, Volunteer Coordinator
Oct .22 - making booties for Holly Place.
Pattern available from Cathy (15 needed).
Nov. 12 - card making
Christmas Cards for nursing home (100).
Dec. 5 - wrap items for distribution.
Help needed for distribution. Refreshments by Ms. Martin.
The HANDIWORK MINISTRY BOOK
A written plan for sharing this ministry is now available It includes a binder with practical tips and guidance (from many years of ministry experience) for establishing a group in your area. Groups must have a sponsoring organization to receive the book, and that information should be included with the request (name, address, phone number and contact person).
The book is available for a donation of $25 (covers cost of materials and shipping. International destinations please consider donating $10 extra to cover the increased shipping charges). If a donation is not possible, please contact us to see if other arrangements can be made. We do not want to deny any group the opportunity to establish a ministry due to the inability to make an offering.
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The People We Serve
We are always open to learning about the needs of others. In the past we've helped people through skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, assisted living centers, treatment & support programs for people living with cancer, maternity departments, pregnancy and parenting support groups, children's/families' support agencies, domestic violence programs, US military troops, and pet adoption programs.
Since 2000, we've helped about 4,000 people locally and nationally. Most items are distributed through agencies, and some are given directly to referred individuals. Below is a listing of
agencies we've helped since 2000:
NEW YORK
Genesee County
Batavia - All Babies Cherished, Salvation Army, NYS Veterans' Home, United Memorial Hospital, YWCA
LeRoy - The Greens Asst. Living, The Heritage Nursing Home, Village
Green Nursing & Rehab
Livingston County
Avon - Avon nursing Home, St. Agnes Church & School, Avon Elementary School, Circle Nursery School
Coneseus - Animal Rescue Ranch
Dansville - Noyes Hospital Maternity, Oncology & First Steps Parenting Program, King's Daughters & Sons Home
Geneseo - Chances & Changes, Teresa House
Mt. Morris - Faith in Action; County Nursing Home, Hospice, & Visiting Nurse
Monroe County
Rochester - Gilda's Club; Birthright; Highland Hospital Maternity, Oncology, & A Woman's Place; Hillside Children's Ctr.; Unity Health System Maternity & Oncology; Rochester General Hospital Lipson Cancer Ctr. & Maternity; University of Rochester Medical Center Maternity & Oncology, Gollisano Children's Hospital; St. Joseph's Villa; Salvation Army; Woodcrest Nursing Home; Humane Society Lollypop Farm.
Ontario County
Canandaigua - F. F. Thompson Hospital Maternity & Interlakes Oncology
Steuben County
Bath-Steuben County Catholic Charities
Perkinsville - Kinship Adult Home
Wayland - Wayland-Cohocton Pre-school
Hornell - Kinship Children's & Adult Homes
Wayland/Cohocton - Wayland-Cohocton Animal Shelter
Wyoming County
Warsaw - Wyoming Co. Hospital & Skilled Nursing Home
Illinois
Chicago-Cancer Treatment Centers of America
South Dakota
Chamberlin-St. Joseph Indian School
Utah
Navajo Reservation-Navajo Elders Project
Our Logo
The butterfly, gentle in its touch and flight, has long been a symbol of change and new life. It is hoped that our work brings both to the people we serve.
Our Staff
Ministry Coordinator - Julie Flanagan
Volunteer Coordinators:
Avon, NY - Katy Heneghan
Henrietta, NY (Rochester, NY/ESLC) - Kim Rivera
Hagerstown, MD - Cathy Bumbaugh
Packaging Coordinator - Dora Williams
Delivery Coordinator - Arden Flanagan
Mailing Address: The Handiwork Ministry
13 Genesee Street
Mount Morris, NY 14510
E-mail: thehandiworkministry@yahoo.com
To discontinue membership and receiving emails, please use the above address to make your request.
To learn more about The HANDIWORK MINISTRY or to become a member, please complete the form below. If joining, a coordinator will email you to welcome you to our group.
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If you are calling to make a request on behalf of an agency or individual, please be sure we have adequate information to consider your request, and to contact you with any questions.
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If you are responding to an evaluation, please leave the answers to these questions in the comment box:
1. Are the items we gave you helpful to the people you serve?
2. Is there anything else that would be helpful to the people you serve (that we are able to make)?
3. Are you willing to display a mini poster or our cards so that we can spread news of our ministry)?
Your comments are important to us and we appreciate the time you took to write. We attempt to answer our emails daily. If you do not receive a reply in what seems to be a reasonable length of time to you, we invite you to contact us again.
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All TEXT Copyright 2012 The Handiwork Ministry/Julie Flanagan except where noted by contributing source. No copying without written permission. Graphics and website support by VISTAPRINT.
