Last Friday I had a customer come in to my store, and she shared with me that she makes hats for a foundation called Hat Not Hate. I looked up the cause online, and learned that it is an anti-bullying campaign created in 2018 by Shira Blumenthal, an ambassador at Lion Brand Yarn Company. Shira was bullied as a child, so while the mission is a personal one for her, she stresses on the campaign website that bullying is a universal problem. In the US, around one in four kids is bullied. Recurring bullying can lead to depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior.
The concept of Hat Not Hate is to get knitters and crocheters to knit and crochet blue hats (blue represents awareness and solidarity, and is the color to wear in support of bullying prevention) and donate them to the cause. Hat Not Hate then gives these hats to schools across the country for students to wear in October, National Bullying Prevention Month, empowering them to be strong and stand up to bullying, and to feel encouraged with all the love put into the handmade hats.[1] For the customer that taught me about Hat Not Hate, it is personal for her like it was for the founder. Her child was bullied growing up and she was bullied as a child as well. Since I was bullied growing up, joining this cause has become personal for me as well. Hats have come in to the campaign headquarters from all 50 states and 13 countries around the world. Starting this year, my store Gillett Handiworks will be a drop off site for those who wish to make blue hats for the cause. Hats can be knitted or crocheted-they just need to be at least 75% blue, and the hats will need to be between 16-20 inches in circumference, as that measurement will fit kids ages 5 to 18 the best. Gillett Handiworks will be collecting the hats until July 24, 2021 at which time we will send them out to the headquarters for distribution. Those who wish to purchase yarn for hats at Gillett Handiworks will receive a 15% discount on your supplies. If you would like to learn how to have your school become a recipient of the blue hats, email me at [email protected] and I will supply you with contact information. You can also look for additional information for the organization at hatnothate.org [1] Hatnothate.org
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