Handmade Especially for You knits/crochets comfort scarves and distributes them to shelters for abused women.  We want every woman who escapes her abusive situation to receive a scarf when she arrives at a shelter simply because she was brave enough to leave and seek protection.  We do not see comfort scarves as rewards for good behavior at the shelter or incentives toward following the rules.  Receiving a scarf is a symbol for leaving her old, abusive life and starting a new life, free from domestic violence. Most of the women who receive our scarves have never before received a personal gift, much less a handmade personal gift.  The women are amazed that anyone who doesn't even know them has made something so beautiful for them.  In many cases, the impact of receiving this gift is that the woman feels better about herself and chooses to do whatever is necessary to change her life.  Directors of the shelters use this moment to begin counseling the woman on how to behave so she can live an abuse-free life. The scarves are not for sale.  They are gifts, which we give from our hearts.  Yarn companies donate the yarn we use and women of all ages, ethnicities, socio-economic status, from all walks of life donate their time to knit/crochet the scarves.  Making the scarves has as positive impact on the makers' lives as receiving them has on the recipients' lives. Our scarves are very powerful.  We didn't expect this when we started, but that is how it has turned out.