In a unique collaboration, two corporations in the retail industry have partnered with World Vision to help support its growing Knit for Kids program.
Specialty retailer A.C. Moore Arts and Crafts store and Premier Yarns — an international manufacturer and distributor of high-quality yarns — joined forces in the summer of 2014 to offer corporate resources to support World Vision’s efforts to bring warm clothing to children in need.
The partnership is helping both companies give back while appealing to their customers’ interests and desire to make a difference.
In 2014, Premier Yarns created an entire line of yarn and patterns for Knit for Kids. The yarn is sold at A.C. Moore’s 140 stores in the eastern United States — and proceeds are helping to facilitate the distribution of Knit for Kids items around the world. In addition, A.C. Moore is now a collection center for knitted items, allowing volunteers to save on postage.
Images: Knit for Kids brings joy to children in need
World Vision’s Knit for Kids program unites thousands of volunteer knitters to fight poverty with knitted items such as blankets, hats, and sweaters. In 2014, more than 77,000 handmade sweaters were distributed to children in need in the United States and around the world.
Both of these mid-sized, family-owned organizations recognize the natural connection between their customers’ creativity and World Vision’s Knit for Kids program. By aligning their brands with World Vision’s efforts to address the root causes of poverty and giving customers opportunities to make an impact, they are seeing increased customer engagement and return traffic as shoppers bring their handmade items back to the store.
With an online marketing program in full swing, complete with Instagram contests and Pinterest boards, the duo hopes to collect 100,000 knitted items in the first year of their collaboration with World Vision, to “wrap the world in warmth,” one child at a time.