RICHMOND, Va. -- It started as one woman knitting hats as she recovered from surgery. Over the next 20 years, it grew to 2,000 people across Central Virginia knitting, crocheting, and donating nearly 500,000 to those in need.
The non-profit "From the Heart Stitchers" has served Central Virginia since 2001.
"We have donated almost 500,000 items into the various communities," stitcher Tricia Ennis said.
Group members knit items like hats, scarves, blankets, and specialty shawls.
"This shawl will be given to somebody that's wheelchair-bound, because of the shape of the shock, it doesn't fall off," Ennis said.
Ennis, the group's president, said they give to anybody who needs help.
"We donate to animal shelters, we donate to homeless shelters, domestic abuse shelters, hospitals, dialysis centers, cancer centers," she said.
Volunteers Lori Winkle and Marti Manson are two of the group's 2,000 members.
And while some people donate time, others give supplies or money.
"We have $215 that we collected at our Christmas Party instead of doing a gift exchange," yarn shop owner Debbie Floyd, who arrived to drop off the donation, said.
Manson, who knits for the group, joked that her family helped inspire her to donate items to "From the Heart Stitchers."
"Your family says, 'enough, we have enough gifts from you,'" she said with a smile.
In reality, the volunteers said it was really a chance to use their talents to give back, from the heart.
The group is always taking more knitters or crocheters. Click here to find out more about them and to see what they have in high demand.
