The Great United States of Hoodies for the Homeless Project OR Donna needs a good excuse for some fun

It's been a while since I have been consistent in blogging, but I promise you all that will change today...with this posting and this project. Donna is going nationwide! Read on...


I used to have a fabulous hooded sweatshirt from my trip to Vancouver a number a years ago. I loved it very much...so much that I alternated between it and another hoodie every other day during my first few years in college.

When I began working for an area homeless shelter in their community service division I began to wear it again as I walked the neighborhood knocking on doors on brisk fall days. In the winter time it became a nice layer of warmth during my neighborhood treks. When I lost my job there I accidentally left my precious sweatshirt behind. I would have retreived it when I realized it was missing, but I was very preoccupied seeing how my infant son was in Children's Hospital suffering from an infection from his initial shunt surgery for hydrocephalus. Alas, my sweatshirt was the last thing on my mind.

I had always hoped that maybe it was given to one of the residents. It was such a nice warm sweatshirt. It eased my mind thinking that it was helping keep someone who needed more than I warm on blustery days. But in reality, I still really missed it.

That was now almost 3 years ago and there isn't a cold day that goes by that I don't think of it.

One day a few weeks ago when I was lonesome for my dear sweatshirt I began to wonder if I could maybe get a reader to send me a new Vancouver sweatshirt...and then the thought trailed off to how I had readers all over the country, not just Canada, and how neat it would be to have a sweatshirt from every state with the state name on the chest...and so it was posted on the Facebook...

"I have decided I want a hoodie sweatshirt from every state. Get on that, minions."

Then the conversation led to how I would take all the sweatshirts and make the United States out of them on my lawn and take a pic and where would I put all of said hoodies. Suddenly I was volunteering food pantry hours for sweatshirts and donating them to the area homeless shelters after the project! I had honestly been planning on doing some volunteer time so this was just the idea to get me motivated.

And so now it is real and official...

Hoodie NATION: The United States of Hoodies for the Homeless Photo Project

The first part of the mission is to create a giant cloth sculpture on my lawn of the Untied States of America with a hoodie with every state's name on it. The second part of the mission is to give back to local area communities through volunteering while promoting the project, volunteerism, and myself through my blog and Facebook. Once a photo has been take of the "sculpture" the hoodies will be donated to area homeless shelters to help keep the cold at bay for those who really need them.

For each hoodie received I will donate 2 hours of volunteer time to various local food pantries in your name. When I work your day I will take along your hoodie and have a photo taken of it at the pantry if allowed to show that I really am putting in the time for you!

I will need hoodies in various sizes as needy people come in all sizes as do these United States. For example I'm hoping to get a few larger sizes from Texas for the sake of the state's size and maybe a kid's small for Rhode Island. Yes. Don't forget the kids! They need to be warm, too! All hoodies should be NEW and clean with a tag still attached if possible.

I will gladly accept hoodies from other nations as well. I will put them in the appropriate places for the picture! College wear will also be accepted, but keep in mind I am really looking for the STATE name on the chest so that it shows in the photo. Items will be donated to various homeless shelters with the most in need coming first. I am not equiped for monetary donations at this time so please stick to sweatshirts.

Send your hooded sweatshirts to:

Hoodie Nation
c/o My Dirty Kitchen Floor
ATTN: Donna Freakin' Reed
PO BOX 549
53201-0549


I hope you will all join me on my crazy journey of paying it back and see how my photo turns out.

Make sure you "Like" Hoodie Nation and My Dirty Kitchen Floor on the Facebook to follow my progress!

Volunteering some love,

Donna Freakin' Reed





xoxox