The Endless Skein is proud to be a drop-off location for Knit the Rainbow, a non-profit organization that distributes warm hand-knitted and crocheted items to homeless and at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.

Knit the Rainbow's founder, Austin Rivers, spoke with us recently about the meaningful work they do for this vulnerable population, and  how you can help.

How did Knit the Rainbow come about? How would you describe its mission, and what are the projects that support this mission?

Knit the Rainbow (KtR) was founded in 2020. I was looking for a way to give back to my community during the pandemic. I did some research and discovered the striking statistics that at least 8,000 unhoused LGBTQ+ youth lived in New York City, where I live. I then found that in the United States as a whole, there are at least 550,000 unhoused LGBTQ+ youth. These staggering numbers tugged at my heart and I knew I had to do something to support this community.

I did not have the resources or the networks to start a shelter organization, but I could knit. I understand the importance of a handmade garment because it provides both essential warmth during the harsh winter months and a sense of love and compassion in the knowledge that someone handmade it for you. I started KtR with this mission in mind: to provide warmth, love, and compassion to homeless and at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.

Our primary program, Garment Collection and Distribution, supports this mission. We collect handmade knit and crochet winter garment donations from volunteers around the country. They ship us donations like socks, gloves, mittens, sweaters, cowls, scarves, beanies, and more. Then, we distribute those items to our over 25 nonprofit partners in four different locations: New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and Detroit.

For those who are unaware, please explain why youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are so much more likely to experience homelessness.

LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their heterosexual peers. Unfortunately, many youths who identify as LGBTQ+, as young as 12, are kicked out of their homes by parents or family members. Nearly 68% of homeless LGBTQ+ youth experienced family rejection and nearly 54% have experienced family abuse. These young teenagers are being abused physically and mentally in their homes, so those who aren't forced out often leave themselves to find refuge elsewhere.

Being unhoused doesn’t always look the same. Some unhoused youth can find shelter at a friend's house or another family member's house, some find organizations or shelters where they can stay temporarily or permanently, and still, others find themselves without regular shelter, living on the street. The average age at which lesbian and gay youth become unhoused is 14 years old, and the average age for transgender and nonbinary youth to become unhoused is 13 years old. Additionally, many shelters exacerbate the problem. Nearly 1 in 3 unhoused transgender people have been turned away from homeless shelters due to their identity. While 15% of shelters report that helping homeless LGBTQ+ youth is "not central to their mission."

What is the significance of hand-knit and crocheted items for the LGBTQ+ youth who receive them?

The hand-knit and crocheted items we provide have a dual effect. In addition to providing life-saving full-body warmth for the brutal winter months, we hope our garments provide a sense of love and compassion for the youth. Not everyone gets to receive a handmade garment unless you have a grandparent, cousin, sibling, friend, or other loved one who is a crafter. For an unhoused youth, knowing that someone took the time to hand-craft a garment for them, lets them know that there is someone out there thinking of them and their wellbeing. We have thousands of volunteers around the country who care.

How has Knit the Rainbow changed since its founding in 2020?

Knit the Rainbow has changed and grown significantly since our launch in 2020. We started with only one program, our Garment and Collection program. Now we have four more programs to offer more services to the youth and the fiber arts community. Our Educating the Masses program is a social media campaign to spread awareness about the housing crisis these youth are facing so we have more voices to fight against the root causes. Our Pattern Design program partners with knit and crochet pattern designers who donate free patterns to us for our volunteers to use, you can find those donated patterns on our website. Our Community Outreach program offers free knit and crochet beginner classes to the youth we serve to spread the joy of crafting and its mental health benefits. Finally, our Knit the Future program centers on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion by providing a platform for diverse crafters to share their experiences in the fiber arts community and uplift those who are not provided a platform as often.

Since our launch in 2020, we have distributed over 25,000 handmade winter garments, have expanded our board to a team of 6, and have hired our first Administrative Assistant to expand our capacity to serve the youth.

What has surprised you in your work with Knit the Rainbow?

What has surprised me the most is the huge hearts of our volunteers. I never imagined that KtR would have thousands of volunteers in 45 states, tons of yarn shop partners around the country, and 25 community partners in four different states. The continued generosity and love from our supporters surprises me day in and day out.

How can people help?

The most common way for people to get involved is to participate as one of our garment donation and distribution volunteers. Anyone can volunteer from around the country and make donations of handmade knit and crochet winter garments. Then, you can either mail them to our office in New York (4650 Broadway, #2003, New York, NY 10040). Or you can drop them off at one of our  local yarn shop drop off locations around the country. (Editor's note: The Endless Skein is a KtR drop off location!)

If you are a designer, you can also donate your knit or crochet patterns for our volunteers to use which we feature on our website. To do that, email us at: patterndesign@knittherainbow.org

Of course, we are also a nonprofit organization which operates on the support of volunteers and donors. If you would like to donate financially,  you can do so here. A $25 donation helps knit the rainbow provide 3 handmade winter garments to one LGBTQ+ young person. Finally, you can help by simply following us on social media and sharing our mission with your networks and followers!

What’s next for Knit the Rainbow?

Knit the Rainbow is continuing to expand and serve more youth every year. We hope to add our 5th city in the next year and will continue to add more cities! Knit the Rainbow just moved into a larger space so that we can collect more garments, host more volunteers, and serve more youth. We hope to collect and distribute over 10,000 garments this winter season!

Be sure to follow Knit the Rainbow @knittherainbowinc on Instagram and Facebook.

Drop off your hand-knitted and crocheted donations for Knit the Rainbow at The Endless Skein during store hours!