Volunteers are providing a “Giving Tree,” where those in need can pick up hand-made hats, gloves, scarves, and blankets to fight off the chill.

The group is lead by Kris Peterson, a member of Granger Community Church, along with the Elkhart County Extension Homemakers. The two groups are sewing the items and just started hanging them Sunday.

“We put up at least 70 pieces hanging on a tree, plus blankets and boots and other things along the ground. We’ve wrapped everything in plastic, trying to keep it dry except for the scarves,” said Peterson.

The tree they selected is along a busy stretch of East Jackson Boulevard, Elkhart, an area traveled by
a fair amount of homeless people.

“They don’t have to go to any agency, to pick the items. They just have to walk by and be cold and it’s free for the taking,” said Peterson. “I noticed today, that a lot of it is already gone, so’ I’ve got a van full more to load.”

Bethany Mcmannis and her son helped volunteer.

“It was a great opportunity for me and my son, to learn about helping others, who might be in need,” she said. “There’s many people in the community that can do little things, that make a big impact.”

For many of us, we pretty much take for granted that we can find or buy gloves, a warm hat, and a scarf to deal with the cold outside. But for the homeless that is not always the case.

“I don’t know what it is like to live in that kind of need, I’ve always had a roof over my head and I’ve always had clothes to wear, but I know those around us that don’t and I want to show god’s love to them,” said Peterson.

Almost all of the clothing is made from fabric that is donated by people around the area.