My Nonprofit Reviews

Nonprofit Knots of Love:

Knots of Love is an extraordinary charity, and its founder, Christine Fabiani, is an extraordinary woman. She is an inspiration to all of us who volunteer for her charity, Knots of Love. Knots of Love is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3. Christine Fabiani created Knots of Love in 2007 after knitting caps for her son’s friend. He was going through chemotherapy and losing his hair. This was an “aha” moment for Christine. She recognized the need to provide comfort to the heads and hearts of those who had lost their hair through chemotherapy or other illnesses. That was to become the goal of Christine’s charity, Knots of Love. Knots of Love was born and given life. Knots of Love has given back to the communities of cancer patients, neonatal babies, veterans, and patients of other debilitating illnesses.

I first became aware of this exceptional charity at the Orange County Fair in 2010. I approached their table and learned about the charity, the mission, and the incredible opportunity for me to give to those in need. Here was a chance to combine my love of knitting and contribute to a worthy altruistic project. I was hooked and I have been knitting caps for Knots of Love since that day. Since that first Orange County Fair encounter, I have volunteered on Friday shipping days. I am now one of the contact people on the other side of the table at the Orange County Fair. I am always recruiting people to create caps for Knots of Love. I am always searching for ways to support, fund, and perpetuate this worthy charity.

Knots of Love is a charity that gives truly from the heart. Hundreds of knitters and knotters (crochet crafters) all over the United States create adorable caps, beautiful caps, patriotic caps, and blankets for neonatal intensive care unit babies. These creations are sent to Knots of Love free of charge. Not only do volunteers create these items, they donate the entire cost of the materials and the shipping to Knots of Love headquarters. Volunteers absorb the cost that goes to the manufacturing of the caps and blankets and the mailing of them to Knots of Love. The Knots of Love makers themselves encumber those costs. Imagine people all over the United States, independently creating items to donate to Knots of Love. That is what happens and is the real story of Knots of Love. It is truly a grass roots effort. Those of us who are the creators and the donators are inspired by Christine’s message and her giving nature. We want to give, too. We want to give comfort, too. As she says, “One head, one heart at a time.”

How are all of these caps sent from all over the United States dispersed? Volunteers meet every Friday for mailing day. Ten to twelve volunteers meet at Knots of Love headquarters, which is Christine’s home, to prepare for the mailing of over 1,000 caps and NICU blankets. Caps are packed twenty to a box. That translates to over 50 boxes mailed each week. Several of these volunteers have been involved in shipping day from the onset. That is a thirteen-year commitment and dedication. These incredible volunteers are committed to keeping Knots of Love moving forward. Those involved in shipping day make sure caps are sent to infusion centers, hospitals, oncology offices, neonatal intensive care units (NICU), and veterans’ administration offices. The shipping cycle to these locations repeats every eight to ten weeks. A new set of caps is sent to those infusion centers, hospitals, oncology offices, and veterans’ administration offices because Knots of Love knows those treatment centers will have new patients needing new caps and comfort. The donation cycle repeats because the need repeats. Knots of Love has given away 498,945 caps and blankets. The half million mark should be reached within the next two weeks.

It is important to point out the ramifications of the number 498,945. Each and every person of the 498,945 has a story to tell. Each and every person has had a medical trauma that has affected their life and the lives of their loved ones. Each and every person has also been affected by Knots of Love because each and every person was a Knots of Love recipient. The magnitude of this outreach is astounding. The magnitude of Knots of Love, and its founder Christine Fabiani, is equally astounding. The testimonials from recipients support this. Weekly, Christine posts on the Knots of Love website communications from cap recipients and donation location personnel. It is humbling to read the posts and recognize the impact of our donations. The postings are also impetus for all of us to keep on knitting and knotting for Knots of Love, for Christine, and for the dear cap and blanket recipients. It is our hope, that in no small measure, we have been able to give comfort. The comfort, the esthetic, and the joy these recipients experience tell the impact of Knots of Love and the dedication of its founder, Christine Fabiani, has had.


What is also amazing is the fact that Christine personally contacts each donor to let that donor know where the donated caps went. This personal touch is the keystone of this charity and shows Christine’s commitment to giving and supporting her givers. After each of my donations, I look forward to that personal call from Christine. I love hearing where my donated caps are going. This knowledge adds to my sense of purpose, and it stimulates me to continue to contribute.

This grant would provide the much needed funding to keep Knots of Love viable. The grant would provide weekly mailing costs and packaging supply costs.

What is the community this charity serves? It is a community of everyone. It is the community of cancer patients and their families. It is the community of premature infants and their families. It is the community of veterans and their families.

It is also the community of makers. Many of the makers have become friends over the years. We meet on shipping Fridays. We volunteer at the Knots of Love table at the Orange County Fair. We come together at the annual tea, last year attended by the hundreds of makers. Some meet once a month to create caps and socialize. Every year we attend an Angels baseball game, sit together, and make caps.

Christine’s biggest challenge is to keep up the ongoing funding of the charity. The source of funding is through donations. Christine has been very clever in searching out funding sources. She has aligned the charity with Ralph’s Market and Amazon Smile. A percentage of purchases go directly to Knots of Love. She has set up a monthly donation program so individuals, such as myself, can contribute to this charity regularly.

Knots of Love is Christine’s passion, and it is also her job. She is the only employee, as director, of the charity. To say she goes beyond her “every day” job is an understatement. She lives and breathes Knots of Love 24/7.

If you can imagine one woman with a vision, and that woman takes that vision and impacts the lives of 498,945 people, then you have the vision of Christine Fabiani.

It is with great love and pride that I nominate Knots of Love as one of the Top-Rated GREATNONPROFITS,

Karen Kirby
kirbycrusr@att.net
Mission Viejo, CA