Hoodies for the Homeless

   Several years ago I designed this hood, yes I call it A Hoodie.  I was knitting hats for the street people.  A church I was going to had a Ministry to them, feeding, etc people.  God had mercy on me
and gave me this idea, because my knitting was so slow and awful.  The idea popped into my head, like I said "God inspired".....I make these out of fleece.  You cut a piece of fleece 17" long (lengthwise) 25" wide (crossgrain the stretchy side). sew the 17" long side and you have a hoodie, it looks like a tube when finished.

  Well last week, during working at the Food Pantry, Ernie, a fellow who has a ministry called "HOLY JOE'S" came in on Thursday he picks up all the left over perishables to the homeless, you know those people who live under bridges, so sad, anyway Ernie takes them food every week from
out food pantry, nothing goes to waste......I was able to speak to him about "the Hoodies" he loved the idea, loved it.  He said "well, I could use 300 of them right now"   gulp....the lady who is over the Food Pantry said her daughter works at JoAnns and would ask if  she could get us a discount.  So she wrote a note.  Her daughter is a stocker at JoAnns on Thursday.  We went straight to JoAnns, I needed to return some thread anyway.  Guess who was walking out the door when we parked, her daughter, and Asst. Mgr, and the Mgr.  was that God or what.  I told David, I think that's Linda's daughter right there.  I walked right up to them, explained who I was and what I was doing.  The Mgr wrote on the note to give me an extra discount (on the reminants).  I have been buying reminants because they are the cheapest way to go and you get great fleece.  Anyway, I bought 4 large bundles of fleece for 6.45.  I brought it home and was able to make 25 Hoodies out of that fleece.

   Well, at Sunday School yesterday, Ron (Linda's husband) fellow over the Food Pantry spoke to our teacher, he and I got up and explained what we wanted to do, he even tried a Hoodie on, the people liked the idea and donated 67.00 towards fleece.  Yesterday, Hancock's had fleece for 1.95 a yard.  My friend Diana was going to donate money towards the fleece, also.  So David and I met Diana for lunch, then she and I went to Hancock's to buy fleece.  We bought 3 bolts 12.5 yds of fleece and some thread, I think we spend like 96.00....brought it home and went into production.  She and I cut and sewed, by the time she left I think we had like 75 completely made.  Another lady from church Judy came and picked up a few of the 1 1/2 pre cuts (that we had cut) and took them home with her, said she will get them done and back to me before Thursday. 

  Our goal was to get as many done as we could before Thursday, so Ernie "Holy Joe's" could pick them up with the food he picks up.  It will be a huge blessing for the street people.  What a Christmas blessing for them.  Not only can they wear them around their neck or pull them up over their heads, but when it warms up they can just fold them and put them in their pockets so they will be handy when they need them.

  So we will see where this goes, hopefully we can make more for them.  We'll see how they like them.