The Florence Crittenton Home & Services  in Helena, Montana, has been providing its clients for the past 114 years with intervention and prevention services to pregnant and parenting young women and their children.  Brittney Shirley states, ” We believe the most effective way to improve life outcomes is to provide very early intervention for young children and support, educate, and encourage their parents.  Florence Crittenton uses intervention strategies for those young parents struggling with barriers to provide care to their children-barriers such as trauma, substance abuse or histories of inter-generational abuse, neglect and poverty.  Providing services to pregnant teens and their children does not just affect the lives of these two individuals, but the lives of their entire families for generations to come and the communities in which they live and work.”

Florence Crittenton does accept hand crafted items as donations.  Ms. Shirley says they receive a great number of crochet and knitted items but would love to have some sewn items as a fresh change.  Below is a list of items they are currently seeking:

Cloth burp rags

Terry washcloths

Muslin swaddling blankets (not crib blankets)

Hats

Pre-made scrapbook pages for our young moms

Picture frames

 Swaddling blankets should be around 42X42, made mostly of muslin but the boarder can be cotton.  The children they help are of newborn to toddler ages and hat sizes should be geared for those age groups. I have taken the liberty to enclose a couple of links to other crafting websites so that you may find a pattern for the cloth burp rags: http://www.sewingsupport.com/sewing-how-to/free-patterns-and-projects/baby/burp-cloths.html, and patterns for sewn hats: http://smalldreamfactory.blogspot.com/2011/09/free-pattern-toddler-hat.html.  

If you would rather make a monetary donation please go to their site at, http://www.florencecrittenton.org.

Remember to Keep on Crafting Montana.