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Organization Profile
KNOTS FOR NICU
http://knotsfornicu.com
Our mission is to foster a supportive and nurturing community that provides comfort and emotional care to babies and their families.
Knots for NICU is a student-led nonprofit devoted to wrapping our tiniest fighters in warmth, comfort, and love, one stitch at a time. Founded by compassionate high school students, Knots for NICU started with a few handmade hats and has grown into a multi-tiered nonprofit with chapters in multiple schools and states. What began as a local effort quickly blossomed into a community movement, fueled by volunteers who crochet, sew, and give their time to make a difference.
Since 2022, Knots for NICU has distributed over 2,500 handmade items to 11 NICUs in Arizona. We are currently in 3 East Valley Phoenix schools and expanding nationally this summer with a chapter opening in Connecticut and interest in WA, ID and CA. Knots for NICU offers three different chapter levels that allow students to participate based on their skills and interests. Our volunteers range from 6th grade to seniors in high school and have crafted 1,185 hats, 306 headbands, 162 blankets, 404 bonding scent hearts, and 42 burial gowns (repurposed from donated wedding dresses). In the 2024–2025 school year alone, 85 teen volunteers contributed more than 1,500 hours crafting NICU items and facilitating donation drives. We have seamstress volunteers who work with the sewing committees to ensure each item is carefully crafted, safe for preemies, and meets the highest standards of quality and comfort.
Our Youth Officers have developed a comprehensive training program that equips each of our school chapters with the skills needed to both create high-quality items and grow as compassionate leaders. They also host bi-monthly officer meetings to ensure volunteers have the support and resources they need to carry out our mission effectively. We maintain close relationships with NICU staff and regularly receive heartfelt thank-you notes and photos that reflect the meaningful impact of our handmade gifts. We spread awareness through our youth-driven newsletter and social media.
Beyond the NICU, we host monthly Companionship Crocheting events at local nursing homes, where teen volunteers crochet alongside elderly residents. These intergenerational events foster connection, reduce loneliness, and underscore our belief that small, heartfelt gestures can offer profound hope and healing. Our students also write appreciation cards for NICU and hospital staff and collect gowns and food donations for Ryan House Child Hospice and Respite in Phoenix.
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Families, Homeless, Immigrants, Refugees or Ethnic Groups, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay,Bisexual,Transgender), Low-income Communities, Military/Veterans, People with Disabilities, People with Health-based Concerns
CHANDLER, AZ, 85249
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