Update for Current Challenge

Our current Bethany House challenge is a big one, but in one day, out of 225 pairs of slippers and 225 washcloths, there are only 63 pairs of slippers remaining to be pledged.    Amazing!!!

Here is the breakdown of what is still needed: 13 preteen girls, 13 preteen boys, 3 youth girls, 8 youth boys, 11 toddler girls, and 15 toddler boys.

Don't forget - if you wish to pledge any of the above, please put your pledge in a comment below and we will receive it via email.

***NEW*** CHALLENGE #30 - 2015

BETHANY HOUSE - Toledo, OH

   ****CHALLENGE COMPLETED****

Bethany House is a unique shelter that offers long term transitional shelter as well as  16 apartments for former residents with children. They provide emotional, spiritual and financial support. They have 12 apartments as part of their Step Up Program.  These apartments are rented to shelter graduates who benefit from stability and security. 

Bethany House is a large shelter, so our challenge is bigger than usual.  We know that our amazing group can meet their needs.

We need:

50 women  -  DONE
5 men  -  DONE
10 teen boys  -  DONE
15 preteen boys  -  DONE
15 preteen girls  -  DONE
20 youth girls  -  DONE
20 youth boys   -   DONE
25 toddler girls  -  DONE
25 toddler boys  -  DONE
20 booties girls  -  DONE
20 booties boys  -  DONE

225 washcloths  -  DONE

*** October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so we'd love to see lots of purple slippers and washcloths!

MAILING DEADLINE: October 24, 2015

Bethany House is a CONFIDENTIAL shelter so please DO NOT include the name of the shelter when addressing your package.

Mailing address:
Deidra Lashley
P.O. Box 5930
Toledo, OH 43613


Our Challenges are conducted primarily on our Facebook page; however, we try to keep the numbers above updated as the challenge pledges come in.   If you would like to make a pledge of slippers and/or washcloths for this challenge, you can post your pledge in a comment on this post and we will receive it via email.    

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Rachel, Judy and Lynne

WELCOME!

We welcome everyone who would like to join with us on our journey to make handmade slippers (knitted, crocheted, or sewn - all colors) for the women and children who are living in domestic violence shelters across the United States.   We are strictly an on-line crafting group with members all across the US.  We do not have individual chapters.  

How We Work:   Our Coordinator, Rachel, contacts shelters across the country to find out if they would be interested in receiving nice, warm, handmade slippers for the women and children in their shelters.  (We also make handmade washcloths if requested, too.)

If a shelter says "yes", then we hold a "Challenge" for our members to make and send the number of slippers (and washcloths) requested.  We break down the numbers into genders and sizes (such as, women's, teen girls, teen boys, preteen girls, etc., on down to boy and girl booties).  Our members then post a pledge with the amount of slippers they wish to make in a particular category or categories.   We log them in on our record sheet and update the numbers still needed in the Challenge information.  When pledges are received for all of the slippers/washcloths requested, then the Challenge for that shelter is considered "Completed".   Then, the members take over.   They make their pledged number of items and send them directly to the address provided by the shelter!    We list a "mail by" date in the Challenge (usually a month from posting date).

We operate our Challenges mainly from our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ThePinkSlipperProject); however, we also list challenges here on the blog and we accept pledges by way of a "comment" on the challenge post here.

We also have a Pinterest Page where we have links to lots for knitted, crocheted, and sewn slipper and washcloth patterns (both free and paid):  http://www.pinterest.com/PinkSlipProject

We hope that you will join us in our endeavor to warm the hearts and toes of women and children living in DV shelters across the nation!

Rachel, Lynne, and Judy


P.S. - We also hold occasional "Cozies for Pets" and "Happy Hands" challenges for shelters after the slipper/washcloth challenges are completed.  The "Cozies" are handmade blankets for companion pets who come to the shelter with their owners (when a pet program is in place) and "Happy Hands" is passing along our love for our crafts and the satisfaction and calming effects they provide by sending knitting and crocheting supplies to shelters with a program in place.

CHALLENGE #29 - 2015

PENELOPE HOUSE
Mobile, Alabama

****CHALLENGE COMPLETED****

“Peace On Earth Begins At Home”

Tonie Ann Torrans describes Penelope House as “Fort Knox” with the electronic fence lined with barbed wire. A second fence will not open until visitors are cleared through a call box.Penelope House was founded in 1979 by the “Daughters of Penelope” and was Alabama's first shelter for battered women and their children. Women are accepted into the shelter if they are in imminent danger. They are asked to arrive with a police escort and and then assigned a room and provided with food, clothing and hygiene supplies. If women arriving at the shelter require immediate medical attention, they are seen at the on-site medical clinic.

For Penelope House, we will need:

  40 women - DONE
    3 men - DONE
    5 teen boys - DONE
    7 preteen girls - DONE
    7 preteen boys - DONE
    7 youth girls - DONE
    7 youth boys - DONE
    7 toddler girls - DONE
    7 toddler boys - DONE
    7 booties for boys and girls - DONE
100 washcloths - DONE


Mailing Deadline: October 12, 2015


Send to:
Tonie Ann Torrans
P.O. Box 9127
Mobile, Alabama 36691

PLEASE NOTE:    Our Challenges are also posted on our Facebook page and most of our pledges are received at that location.   Pledges can also be made through this blog post via a "Comment" on the post with the number of slippers and category(ies) and your name and location.   Pledge numbers are updated here on the blog as quickly as possible.     If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us.

Rachel, Judy, and Lynne

......and now.....for those wonderful magic words.....


THE CHALLENGE FOR BRIGHTER TOMORROWS HAS BEEN COMPLETED!!!!!

What an absolutely super duper group we have here! I was just about to put up an update post with the number of slippers remaining to be pledged when two messages came in from Anita S., pledging all of the remaining slippers and washcloths!

Thank you all for your pledges!     Great way to begin a weekend!

Rachel, Judy, and Lynne

CHALLENGE #25 - 2015

BRIGHTER TOMORROWS
Shirley, New York
     ****CHALLENGE HAS BEEN COMPLETED! - 08/01/15)
Brighter Tomorrows was established in 1983 to begin raising funds and incorporate as a non-profit agency.  Three years later, they opened up a 19-bed shelter and established a 24-hour Crisis Hotline.   Only two years later, in 1988, they piloted a Transitional Housing Program to facilitate independent living after leaving the shelter setting.  Last year, they opened up their second Transitional Housing site, exclusively for singles.  

For Brighter Tomorrows, we would like to send the following:

  20  Women's   -   DONE
    6  Preteen Girls   -   DONE
    6  Preteen Boys   -   DONE
    6  Youth Girls   -   DONE
    6  Youth Boys   -   DONE
    6  Toddler Girls   -   DONE
    6  Toddler Boys   -   DONE
    6  Booties - Girls   -   DONE
    6  Booties - Boys   -   DONE

  68  Washcloths   -    DONE

MAILING DEADLINE:   August 29, 2015

MAILING ADDRESS:
Brighter Tomorrows, Inc,
Attention:  Isabel McDuffie
PO Box 706
Shirley, New York   11967

This Challenge is also posted on our Facebook page.   Most of our challenge pledges are posted there.   The numbers still needed for each category will be updated here as we receive pledges (both here and on Facebook).   If you wish to pledge, please put it in a "comment" on this post and we will receive via email.   Thank you for joining with us to help warm the hearts of toes of women and children in domestic violence shelters across the US!   

Rachel, Judy, and Lynne

Well.....Challenge #24 was completely pledged on Facebook before we had an opportunity to post it here on our blog!   What terrific members we have!!!   

One of our long-time members, Lynne Bergman, has stepped up to the plate and agreed to sign on as another Assistant to help out with our Facebook page and the blog.   This Challenge was the first one that she has taken care of posting and logging in the pledges as they come in and keeping the numbers still needed updated on the Facebook page.   She did a wonderful job!!!!!   

Lynne will also be helping to answer any questions that may arise both here and on Facebook.

Thank you, Lynne, for answering Rachel's call and agreeing to help us out with the Pink Slipper Project!!

MONIKA'S HOUSE is a repeat shelter for our group and we always love it when the shelters ask for more of our wonderful, handmade slippers and washcloths.   This particular shelter also has a pet program in place, as well as a crafts/hobby program.   We will be having a "Cozies for Pets" challenge and a "Happy Hands" challenge coming up before too long for this shelter.  So, please keep an eye out for our posts!   


Rachel, Judy, and Lynne

CHALLENGE #24 - 2015

MONIKA'S HOUSE
Hillsboro, Oregon

Monika's House is named in memory of a domestic violence victim, Monika Voits, an Oregon woman who was murdered in her bed by her husband while her children slept nearby.
Every year, Monika's House provides safe shelter to more than 200 adults, children and their pets, fleeing from danger of family violence.
Monika's House is proud to be one of only 5 shelters in Oregon providing safe shelter to family pets and companion animals as well. Therapy and service animals are housed inside in their new Pet Sanctuary.
To quote the Director of Shelter Services, "This is awesome and we're very much looking forward to it."
We will be having Cozies for Pets and Happy Hands challenges when all slippers and washcloths have been pledged.

For Monika's House we will need:
30 women - DONE!
 5 booties - DONE!
10 toddler -DONE!
 8 youth - DONE!
 6 preteen - DONE!
 2 men - DONE!
 3 teen boys -DONE!

Please use gender neutral colors for all slippers except womens.

65 washcloths  DONE!

Mailing deadline: August 20,2015

Mail to:

Valerie Bundy
Director of Shelter Services
P. O. Box 91550
Portland, OR 97291

HOORAY!!!    CHALLENGE #23 OF 2015 HAS BEEN COMPLETED!   

Thank you to all of our members both here and on Facebook for helping to complete this challenge.  There will be lots of warm hearts and toes in Washington state very soon!

PLEASE NOTE:    IF YOU MADE A PLEDGE ON THIS CHALLENGE, THE STREET ADDRESS LISTED PREVIOUSLY WAS INCORRECT.   PLEASE CHECK THE MAILING INFORMATION IN THE CHALLENGE POST FOR THE CORRECT ADDRESS.   SOME PACKAGES WERE ALREADY MAILED OUT AND WERE RETURNED TO THEIR SENDERS.    WE APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING LISTED THE STREET NUMBER INCORRECTLY IN THE ORIGINAL POST.   WE TRY TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL THAT OUR INFORMATION IS CORRECT.


We will have another challenge coming up very soon.....possibly next week, so please keep a watch out for it and I hope you will jump right in with your pledges when it is listed!   If anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to send us a message and we will try to get back to you right away.

Rachel, Judy, and Lynne

CHALLENGE #23 - 2015

YWCA Clark County - SafeChoice

VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

******CHALLENGE HAS BEEN COMPLETED******

The SafeChoice shelter is gender inclusive for those fleeing physical, emotional or verbal abuse.  They also have a variety of support groups.

Their legal advocates provide support, information and assistance for guidance through the civil legal system.

Freda Gable asked if we could send slippers to her local shelter in Vancouver, WA.  Freda, thanks for the suggestion.

PLEASE COMMENT BELOW WITH YOUR PLEDGE AND WE WILL RECEIVE IT BY EMAIL.  WE RUN OUR CHALLENGES PRIMARILY ON FACEBOOK, SO MOST OF THE PLEDGES ARE POSTED THERE.  NUMBERS IN THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BELOW WILL BE UPDATED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.  IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE SEND US A MESSAGE.

For SafeChoice:

 70  women   -   DONE
 10  teen girls    -   DONE
 10  teen boys   -   DONE
   5  men   -   DONE
 10  preteen girls   -   DONE
 10  preteen boys   -   DONE
 10  youth girls    -   DONE
 10  youth boys   -   DONE
 10  toddler girls         DONE
 10  toddler boys   -   DONE
 10  booties girls       DONE
 10  booties boys     DONE

175 washcloths   -   DONE

Mailing Deadline:  August 8, 2015

Send to:    PLEASE NOTE CORRECTED ADDRESS BELOW.  STREET NO. WAS INCORRECT.

Misty Cumbie
3609 Main St.
Vancouver, WA 98663

CHALLENGE #22 - 2015

WINGS
Paladine, Illinois

  **** CHALLENGE COMPLETED ****

Although the Wings organization was started as an advocate for homeless women and children, WINGS expanded 30 years later to become one of the largest domestic violence service and housing providers in the state of Illinois.  Single women and women with children are able to receive temporary safe shelter through WINGS housing while staff provides one-on-one, individualized assistance that allows women to set personal goals that will enable them to work, continue their education and care for themselves and their children.

For WINGS:

Regarding the numbers - Beth at WINGS indicates there are about 3 children for every adult.  You will see that reflected in the increased number of slippers for children and fewer for women. 

30 Women      ----  DONE
10 Preteen boys   ----   DONE
10 Preteen girls    ----- DONE!!
10 Youth boys    -----   DONE!!
10 Youth girls     -----   DONE!!
10 Toddler boys     -----   DONE
10 Toddler girls     ----  DONE
10 Boy booties     -----   DONE
10 Girl booties     ---   DONE

They would love washcloths!
110 Washcloths  ----   DONE

Mailing Deadline:  July 27, 2015

Send to:

Beth Gardham
WINGS
P.O. Box 95615
Palatine, IL 60095

CHALLENGE #21 - 2015

HOPE & JUSTICE PROJECT
Presque Isle, Maine

*****CHALLENGE COMPLETED*****

The Hope and Justice Project began thirty years ago as the Battered Women's Project but changed their name in May, 2010, to project a new, positive name to help better reach out to those who needed their services.   Their shelters are located in northern Maine, not far from the Canadian border.   In 2012 they housed 807 women, 45 men, and 239 children.

It gets mighty cold up there in the winter time, so let's try to send them some warm and cozy slippers to warm their hearts and toes!

Here's what we need:

   40  Women's  -   DONE
      6 Teen Girls   -   DONE
      6  Teen Boys   -   DONE 
     6  Preteen Girls   -   DONE 
     6  Preteen Boys   -   DONE  
     6  Youth Girls   -   DONE  
     6  Youth Boys   -   DONE 
     6  Toddler Girls   -   DONE 
     6  Toddler Boys    -   DONE  
     6  Girls Booties   -   DONE 
     6  Boys Booties   -   DONE 
 100 Washcloths   -   DONE

MAILING DEADLINE:    JULY 8, 2015

MAIL PACKAGES TO THIS EXACT ADDRESS:

          JESSICA KINNEY 
           P. O. BOX 148
           PRESQUE ISLE,  MAINE   04769

CHALLENGE #17 - UPDATE

CHALLENGE #17 has been completed! Thanks go out to Jan O. for taking the last seven slippers.

This is an AMAZING group of volunteers who are willing to give so much of their time and talents to provide some warmth and caring to women and children (and, yes, occasionally, men, too) who have left most of their personal belongings behind when fleeing to a shelter for safety.

Stay tuned........Rachel will be posting a small Cozies for Pets challenge for the same shelter sometime over the next few days.

Judy