Connecting Potholder Weavers with Food Pantries and Families in need.
2025 marks the five-year anniversary of fostering community and connection through the Thanksgiving Potholder Project! As this initiative has become a cherished tradition, we are thrilled to continue offering talented potholder weavers and artisans the opportunity to contribute to the national effort and also to support them in their local efforts. By donating their hand-woven potholders, weavers help food pantries support families in need at Thanksgiving – uniting strangers in a spirit of generosiy and care.
Potholder artisans and weavers from all over the U.S.A. are sharing their work with families in need! Thanks to their support, we are thrilled to be supporting 8 to 10 food pantries in 2025:
- The Food Co-op at Burke United Methodist Church in Burke, VA (BUMC) that serves over 200 families
- Guardian Angel Food Pantry in Baltimore, MD serving about 100 families
- Franciscan Center Food Distribution Program in Baltimore, MD
- The Family Food Distribution Program at Bel Air United Methodist Church in Bel Air, MD (BAUMC) serves 350 – 400 families
- Assistance Center of Towson Churches (ACTC) located inTowson, MD who will serve between 200 – 800 families
- Hampden Food Pantry in Baltimore, MD serves about 50 families
- St Luke’s on the Avenue, in Hampden, Baltimore, MD
- Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation CARES program, Baltimore, MD
With your support, we look forward to bringing the dignity and warmth of sharing functional art with the kitchens of financially struggling families. Your contributions are deeply valued by the entire community. Together, we can build a brighter, healthier future by connecting people and spreading joy one great potholder at a time!
New in 2025! Two blind and sight impaired communities of weavers are joining us to reach our goal of distributing at least 2,000 potholders at Thanksgiving! Stay tuned for updates.
About Us
Why Potholders?
Hand-woven Potholders are essential kitchen tools that bring safety, warmth, and a touch of artistry to every home. For families facing financial challenges, updating kitchen tools or replacing worn-out potholders can be a luxury they can’t afford, leaving them with less protection and comfort in their kitchens. This is where the weaving community makes a difference.
As a lifelong potholder weaver and an active participant in online communities dedicated to potholder loom weaving, I’ve seen the incredible work of these artisans – including beginners! Many are eager to find meaningful places to share their creations. As a food pantry volunteer and sometimes customer, I’ve experienced the profound impact of receiving support during tough times.
By connecting weavers with food pantries, we offer families in need more than just functional kitchen safety tools, but also a sense of dignity, recognition, and cheer that comes from receiving a high-quality, thoughtfully created gift for their home. In this way, we all share in the joy of connection and generosity. Namaste.
How You Can Help
Where to Send Potholders
Thanksgiving Potholder Project donations are shipped to one central location! Please do not send donations directly to the pantires. With so many food pantries being served, matching mixed distribution dates with shipping to specific locations is difficult to manage. Centralized organizing works! So we are asking that all contributions be sent to our office:
ADD A STORY! Feel welcome to include a brief note about the story behind your potholders. Holiday wishes or thoughts of goodwill also add meaning to your donation. A potholder’s story matters! We’ll be sure to package the story with your potholders so the recipients can enjoy them all the more.
Money & Other Donations -?
Money contributions will be used for website hosting, to offset out-of-pocket costs and to fund 2025 – 2026 community-building efforts by offering free potholder weaving classes. Out of pocket costs are anticipated to be roughly $1,000 in 2025. Please email THXGPP@gmail.com to arrange a contribution.
We also accept loom, hook, and loops donations! If you have excess inventory to offload, we can find a home for them. Please ship directly to: Beth Myers, THXGPP, 2007 Clipper Park Rd. Unit 216, Baltimore, MD 21211.
A note on supplie: When offering free weaving workshops, I like to provide supplies and equipment for all with no embarrassing family income questions asked. Dignity in community development means not always calling attention to someone’s difficulties. Thank you for your help in providing supplies that will ensure we can bring a wider community together with dignity and creative fun for all.
THANK YOU!
Questions?
Please contact Beth for more info.
THXGPP@Gmail.com
Introducing Goodwill Weaving
Where potholder loom weavers connect around philanthropy Goodwill Weaving is a non-commercial Facebook-based space for potholder loom weavers. It’s a place to offer or request contributions, share stories and resources, and learn from one another through collaboration and mutual support. The following article celebrates the weaving community that makes potholder philanthropy so impactful, shares the…
A Seat at the Table: Dignity and Connections at the Franciscan Center
Yesterday’s potholder distribution at the Franciscan Center brought something into focus: dignity, community, and care show up in small gestures, conversations, and the seemingly simple act of sharing food and space. Adding the gift of a handwoven potholder, made by weavers from across the U.S., really pulls it all together. Last year, when the Thanksgiving…
Weaving Wonders at GEDCO!
What an inspiring effort! Most of the volunteers who came together to weave potholders for Govan’s Ecumenical Development Corporation (GEDCO) had never used a potholder loom before—or tried any kind of weaving at all. Still, they aimed to create enough potholders for every neighbor registered to receive a Thanksgiving basket. The goal was 170 potholders…