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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1.  What year were you founded?  How did you start?
Warm Hands Network was started in 2007.  At that time two friends were looking for a way to turn our 40th birthday celebration into something meaningful.  What started as a campaign to collect 50 items for a community in Northern Labrador turned into a project that has spanned over a decade, with 500+ contributors from around the world and over 10,000 items provided to partner communities across Canada's North, as well as in Ottawa.  Anita and Catriona now manage the logistics of the Warm Hands Network, working with a small but mighty team of Ottawa based knitters and crocheters.

2.  Who have you shipped to?
In the past Warm Hands Network has sent items to Afghanistan, Mongolia, Northern Labrador (Canada), Moosonee (Canada) , Rankin Inlet (Canada), Gjoa Haven (Canada), Pond Inlet (Canada), Innuvik (Canada), Iqualuit (Canada), Cape Dorset (Canada), Arviat (Canada), Kugluktuk (Canada) and Resolute Bay (Canada). For details about our current campaign, see the Campaigns page.

3.  What are your collection dates?
We currently ship about 4 times per year. However, if free shipping opportunities arise, we will ship more frequently.

4.  What do you send?
We send hand knit and crochet items.  Please see the Guidelines pages for more details (size, fiber, washability, etc).  We also collect craft supplies (beads, yarn, thread, needles, scissors, needles, hooks, etc).  When we have space in our shipments, we sometimes send fur coats which can be repurposed into mitten liners, kamik (boot) liners and hood fringe.

5. How are items distributed?
We partner locally with schools and clinics, among others, to distribute items in northern communities.  In addition, we provide hand-knit clothing to organizations here in Ottawa that have ties to the North. We like that our grassroots organization is working through similar grassroots organizations on the ground in these communities.  Person to person, we are working to make a difference.

6. Where do our contributed items come from?
Approximately 50% of our items come from Canada the rest are from International crafters.  We have many contributors from the USA and have also received parcels from Australia, Singaport, Japan and Germany. 

7. How can I help?
We are delighted to have a core of long-term crafters who create lovely items for us towards each campaign. However, we can always use more knitters and crocheters to help us.  Please consider making items for us.  And also invite your friends to join you in crafting items for us.  The more the merrier!  We have print at home business cards and a print at home Poster you can use to help spread the word.  Finally, if you are in the Ottawa area, we can always use a few more hands to help with sorting items, etc.  Please contact us if you are local and available to help out. 

8. I can't knit or crochet, but I want to get involved.  Can we make it work?
You bet we can!  Email us and we'll find a way.  If you are a school or a community group, let's talk.  If you're an individual who would like to make an "in-kind" donation, you're someone we want to get to know.  We also have a few donors who sew items for us.   
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Last updated: September 2019. Please contact the webmaster to report any problems with the page.