Calvin's Hats Transform Suffering
If you've ever lost a child, you'll understand the power of Calvin's Hats
The story of Calvin's Hats is tearjerking. A family whose child is born too prematurely to survive discovers, to their dismay, that not only have they lost their child, they can't even dress him properly for burial because even the preemie hats are too large.
Fortunately for many other parents, this wasn't a mom who sat around being idle in her grief. Instead, she transformed her pain into healing for others, creating a whole charity in memory of her beloved Calvin. With Calvin's Hats, a family's grief can transform, knowing that someone somewhere understands their pain.
What's in a Hat?
Some of my favorite charity knitting doesn't touch huge groups of people but one or two individuals who really make a personal connection. If thousands of people do the same thing, suddenly we are reaching a huge group -- we're just doing it one person at a time.
It doesn't seem like a hat would mean very much to parents grieving the loss of a child. I'm fortunate enough to have never lost a child, and none of my babies were premature, so I can barely imagine the pain and suffering that comes with the birth of a child you know cannot live.
Calvin's parents, John and Jenna, know that suffering first hand. And they know the difference it makes when someone takes the time to craft a hat perfectly sized for your little one, completely precious no matter how small or how long they live.
Parents facing the death of a premature child know feelings of helplessness, despair, and above all, loneliness. They feel like no one understands what they're going through. Receiving that perfectly sized hat tells them that charity knitting groups not only understand, they are with them in spirit. It's the difference between facing pain alone and facing it with hope.
How to Help
I honestly had no idea a hat could make such a difference, and once I learned about Calvin's Hats, it triggered my desire to charity knit. Fortunately, the Calvin's Hat website has a HUGE collection of resources. They have patterns for hats and an entire blog devoted to hat creators. You can use any style of hat, really -- just make sure the size is right and that it's appropriate for that perfect little child.
If you're not into knitting for charity right now, you can also send a financial donation -- just $25.00 will provide thirty hats for grieving parents. And if you know a family in need, Calvin's Hats always accepts recommendations. It's their goal to reach every family in need.
This is charity knitting at its best: reaching out to forge the one-on-one connection handcrafted items do best. Give of your time -- give of your heart -- give to Calvin's Hats!
