Red Scarf Project

The Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) has joined with Einstein Bros. Bagels to send scarves to college-attending foster youth in Valentine’s Day care packages. Einstein Bros. Bagels will collect handknitted and crocheted scarves for OFA. This project is endorsed by The National Needlework Association (TNNA) and Interweave Knits magazine.

From the OFA site:

“For young people without loving families and homes to serve as a practical lifeline, the scarves send a powerful message of hope.

The care packages are part of a comprehensive program of initiatives created by the Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) to ensure that young people aging out of the foster care system are encouraged to succeed as adults. The need for such programs is great. It is estimated that some 13,000 former foster kids are attending colleges and universities this year, most without any family support.”

The Lily Chin Signature Collection, the first signature yarn created by an American knitwear designer, is the official yarn of the Red Scarf Project. Beginning in fall 2006, every skein of Lily Chin’s Gramercy Yarn, a 100% superwash merino wool in the color red, will bear the logo of the OFA Red Scarf Project.”

Scarves should about 60 inches long, suitable for a boy or girl, preferably in shades of red but any unisex color is acceptable.

Deadline for mailing scarves for the 2006 project is: January 28, 2006 but scarves can be dropped off in New Jersey at any Einstein Bagel shop.

More information is available at the website http://www.orphan.org