These charities have been chosen because they accept handmade items and are highly rated by the Charity Navigator. But do your own research to make sure their values align with your own and they are still accepting handmade items.
When every possible, please make a monetary donation when sending your DIY items. Handling and distribution of donated items can be the biggest expense to getting the items to those who need them.
Forget Me Not
Forget Me Not sends cards, care items, and love to senior homes around the U.S.
What you can make and donate:
Check their facebook page for current requests including:
Handmade cards, Small Stuffed Animals, Tray Favors
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels is a program that delivers meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals.
What you can make and donate:
Tray Favors, Placemats, Cards
The Linus Project
The Linus Project is a non-profit organization which provides blankets for children in need. More than 7 million blankets have been donated since 1995.
What you can make and donate:
Any type of handmade blankets including fleece tie, knitted, crocheted and quilted.
Cards for Hospitalized Kids
Cards for Hospitalized Kids is an organization that spreads hope, joy & magic to hospitalized kids across America through uplifting, handmade cards.
What you can make and donate:
Handmade cards
Smiles with Style
Smiles with Style is a friendly, fun and compassionate volunteer organization that provides hospitalized children with small makeovers and a chance to play dress-up.
What you can make and donate:
Dress up costume pieces, superhero capes
Ryan’s Case for Smiles
Ryan’s Case for Smiles helps with the stress and emotional impact of illness with whimsical pillowcases that give children an emotional boost.
What you can make and donate:
Bright, cheery handmade pillowcases
Operation Gratitude
Operation Gratitude provides care packages filled with items donated by people who want to express their support for heroes serving overseas and here at home.
What you can make and donate
Paracord “Survival” Bracelets, Knit or Crochet Hat and Scarfs, Drawstring Bags, Letters, Neck Gainers
Enchanted Makeovers
Enchanted Makeovers provides projects, programs and makeovers of the physical space, women and children in shelters are introduced to a way of life, a way of thinking that helps to shift their outlook about their lives and possibilities for the future. A path is created for creativity, self-expression and worth.
What you can make and donate
Superhero Capes, Pillow Cases, Handmade Dolls
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Send a Smile 4 Kids collects donated handmade cards to be distributed to children while they are inpatient at Children’s Hospitals across the United States.
What you can make and donate
Handmade cards
Cancer CAREpoint
Cancer CAREpoint provides personalized Counseling, Assistance, Resources & Education to all Silicon Valley cancer patients, survivors, families & caregivers.
What you can make and donate:
Fleece Tied Blankets
The Anti-Cruelty Society
The Anti-Cruelty Society is an animal welfare organization whose mission is to build a community of caring by helping pets and educating people.
What you can make and donate
Dog and Cat Toys, Pet Blankets, Dog Bandannas
Operation Blankets of Love
OBOL is a California-based animal protection organization that provides shelters and other rescue groups with life-saving comfort items, helping homeless animals find forever homes.
What you can make and donate
Dog/Cat Treats, Pet Blankets, Collars, Leashes & Harnesses, Toys
Giving the Basics
Giving the Basics efficiently tracks the need for personal care items and distributes them to food pantries and schools, making these basic supplies accessible to 250,000 people monthly.
What you can make and donate
Personal Care Kits
Dometic Selters
Dometic Selters makes is a central website that makes finding the right shelter and information easier for woman experiencing domestic abuse. With help from the community, most shelters provide survivors everything they need to start over from bedding and towels to toothbrushes and shampoo. Put in your zip code and find out what is on their wish list or call ahead to ask about other items.
What you can make and donate
Personal Care Kits
Operation Care and Comfort
Operation Care and Comfort provides support and comfort to “adopted” units of deployed U.S. military service members, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflict regions. Working within the community and through donations received the assemble and ship care packages to our adopted units every month until they return home.
What you can make and donate
Personal Care Kits
Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald House supports sick children throughout their recovery, gives families a comfortable place to stay during a difficult time and offers medical services to children who are without.
What you can make and donate
Personal Care Kits
Foster Care to Success
Foster Care to Success has worked with thousands of foster youth to overcome the challenges, doubts, and fears they face. They have developed many ground-breaking programs to provide children in foster care the skills and support they need to become successful.
What you can make and donate
Personal Care Kits, Red Knitter Scarves
Snuggles Project
Snuggles are security blankets for shelter animals. They provide physical and psychological comfort to the animals awaiting new homes. In most instances the animals are kept in areas with stainless steel braces or hard plastic flooring. It is the goal of the Snuggles Project that each animal would get a Snuggle to cuddle up with to feel comfort as well as a bit of security during their stay. The Snuggles would allow them to have a little reprieve from the coldness of the cage they are kept in.
What you can make and donate
Pet Blankets
Soldiers’ Angels
What you can make and donate
Letters, Cards, Coloring Pages
Operation: Military Matters
Operation: Military Matters was started in November 2015 by 9-year-old Graci Tubbs, After hearing and seeing veterans speak at school, Graci felt the need to support our military and let the men and women sacrificing their lives for us, know people back home cared about them.
What you can make and donate
Letters
Comfort for Critters
Comfort for Critters is a volunteer program that donates free handmade blankets to comfort homeless pets living in animal shelters across the US.
What you can make and donate:
Pet Blankets