In 2014, Wool-Aid established a new effort to provide warm wool clothing and blankets for Syrian children who are now living in refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon.

Humanitarian relief efforts for this project are coordinated by the Salaam Cultural Museum. Wool-Aid was asked to provide handknit/crocheted wool clothing for infants and toddlers, and for children age 5 to 10 years old who are attending two schools in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.

In 2014, Wool-Aid sent a total of 34 boxes for the Syrian children living in refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon. These shipments contained

Sweaters: 215
Vests: 226
Socks: 303
Hats: 1371
Mittens: 178
Blankets: 72

TOTAL: 2365

This picture shows a young Syrian boy receiving a sweater hand knit by one of our Wool-Aid crafters:

Many, many thanks to all our supporters who make it possible to help Syrian children!

Wool-Aid’s goals for 2014 were ambitious, but our wonderful knitters and crocheters met them—and more!

Shown below are the goals set by Wool-Aid for 2014, followed by the number of each item received during the year plus the number of each item shipped out during the year to help children around the world be warm this winter:

Item: Goal / Number of Items Received / Number of Items Shipped

Hats: 2400 / 2737 / 3447

Socks: 900 / 1066 / 1676

Sweaters: 725 / 792 / 979

Vests: 500 / 447 / 897

Mittens: 400 / 486 / 507

Blankets: 75 / 75 / 187

TOTALS: 5000 / 5603 / 7693

In 2014, Wool-Aid sent warm woolen clothing and blankets to Syrian children living in Lebanon and Jordan (2365 items), and to children living in Tibet (2056 items), Afghanistan (2238 items), and Mongolia (1034 items).

Note: Some of the items included as shipped in 2014 were also included in the Winter 2013-2014 count posted last year; we have now standardized on reporting by calendar year.

Our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who helped to warm children living in the coldest climates and with the least access to resources! Thank you for making such a difference to so many children!

Wool-Aid has grown into Wool-Aid, Inc.!

Wool-Aid is now officially a non-profit corporation. We are registered in the State of Illinois, and the Illinois Attorney General’s office lists Wool-Aid, Inc. as a Charitable Organization. This means that Wool-Aid is recognized as a charitable organization that is organized as a non-profit corporation, but it does not confer tax-exempt status at the federal level.

We are also looking into the possibility of filing to become a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. If we do that and are successful in gaining approval, then all contributions to Wool-Aid would have tax-exempt status. If Wool-Aid’s federal tax status changes, it will be announced here and via e-mail.