In 2006 I was inspired to get involved with the Pine Street Inn  by the plight of Boston's nearly 7,000 homeless men and women, but specifically by a homeless man named Artie.   I work downtown and passed Artie every day for years.  I, like a lot of people, did not pay him much mind.  Perhaps ten years ago, upon exiting a coffee shop, I found a bill on the ground I can't remember if it was a five or a ten, but I gave it to him.  I gradually became friendly with Artie, learned about his life and sought him out when I emerged from the Arlington Street T stop on my daily commute.  I wanted to help this sweet, friendly man in some way beyond a few dollars in his cup, so in 2006 I went to the Pine Street Inn and pitched an idea to develop an event that would both help the homeless and inspire the community to get involved with the PSI in a very tangible way.  A "Knit-A-Thon" was the idea.  On a side note, I am actually a pretty unaccomplished knitter, I have one unbelievably scratchy and boxy sweater to my credit and several scarves.  I am good with parallelograms.  That's where the idea of the knitted squares came in.   I asked Boston area knitters if anyone would want to help out knitting blankets that would be presented to tenants of the Pine Street Inn Residences as housewarming gifts from the community. We could knit squares in advance of an assembling event, they would measure 9 x 9 inches and there would be 35 squares per blanket.  The blankets would essentially be knitted patchwork quilts.  I was overwhelmed with positive responses.   I then decided that the gesture would be better made if there was a fundraising element added to the event.  In November of 2007 the first Pine Street Inn Knit-A-Thon was held at the Women's Inn.   The nearly $20,000 we raised that year went to PSI's Permanent Supportive Housing and other PSI programs and the blankets were presented to the tenants of the PSI residences.  The event was embraced by New England knitters, crocheters and their generous sponsors.  

Over three Knit-A-Thons we have made hundreds of beautiful blankets that were presented as gifts from the community to tenants of the Pine Street Inn Residences and raised over $100,000 that directly aided the Supportive Housing and other incredible PSI programs.   That is the power of knitting; a simple craft that can spark an idea, that can change a life. 

P.S.  I am delighted to report that Artie moved into Pine Street's REACH housing last year and is doing really well.  He spoke at the Massachusetts State House at K-A-T 2010 and he picked out a blanket for himself.  It was a great one.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE KNIT-A-THON PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE:

WWW.KNIT-A-THON.ORG