Warm Up America Foundation
The Foundation is committed to motivating, training and coordinating volunteers to knit and crochet afghans and clothing for people in need.

To this end, the Foundation:
  • Promotes, trains and encourages individual volunteers and groups to adopt the WUA! program as a local activity;
  • Supports and assists these local volunteers by providing information and instructional materials through its web site and mailings;
  • Acts as a collection point and facility for completed sections to have them assembled into completed afghan blankets, and
  • Collects completed afghan blankets for distribution to various charitable organizations and agencies that hand out the afghans to homeless and needy persons.

    • In addition, the Foundation is involved in expanding Warm Up America! to involve more:
  • Children, through schools and youth groups;
  • Community, church and older adult organizations;
  • Businesses, through corporate lunchtime programs.

    • Children
    Warm Up America! is fast becoming a favorite project of teachers, Scout, 4-H, and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America groups. It involves kids in a worthwhile, community program, enables them to learn a skill that will last a lifetime, plus, strengthens their math, reading and motor skills.

    To further the goal of reaching children, the WUA! Foundation awarded its first grant to the Helping Hands Foundation, a 501C3 organization. The Helping Hands Foundation is a mentoring program that trains current knitters and crocheters to go into schools to teach these skills, usually in an after-school class. These sessions are offered to the children at no charge.

    The Foundation is also working to develop a curriculum for school and extracurricular knitting and crocheting programs.

    Community, Church and Older Adult Organizations & Businesses
    The program appeals to all ages. For community, church, senior residences and senior centers, it is a favorite project, in many cases sponsored year-round. Increasingly, employers of large and small corporations are encouraging employees to get involved with charitable activities, meeting at lunchtime or after work. Warm Up America! is a great activity for a lunch hour that also builds team spirit.

    The Foundation is working to develop a WUA! lunchtime program to present to corporations nationwide as a health benefit for employees. Knitting and crocheting are portable, easy to pick up for short amounts of time, and proven stress relievers. Weight Watchers Magazine even recommended knitting and crochet as a healthy alternative to eating!