#HatNotHate Anti-Bullying Initiative Spotlights Mental Health

On Feb 8, 2021

#HatNotHate, an anti-bullying campaign sponsored by Carlstadt-based Lion Brand Yarn Company, released a public service announcement for 2021 addressing the mental health impacts of bullying. This is the fourth year of #HatNotHate’s global collection of handmade blue hats, which are distributed to schools across the country during October’s National Bullying Prevention Month as a symbol of solidarity. In 2021, the campaign pledges to reach its current goal of 100,000 hats, after collecting 32,531 hats in 2020.

“Our new PSA sends a clear message that bullying is never okay and that there is an entire community of crafters that stands in support of that belief,” said Lion Brand Ambassador and #HatNotHate Founder Shira Blumenthal. “Since #HatNotHate’s inception, I’ve heard from countless people, young and old, whose bullying experiences have affected their mental health. This year, our goal is to not only end bullying, but to offer tools to help those suffering from anxiety, including the very acts of knitting and crocheting, which carry proven mental health benefits.”

The new PSA unveils on The Shi Show, which streams weekdays at noon EST on Facebook Live. Blumenthal, the host of the series, launched The Shi Show to unite creatives across the globe behind a shared passion for crafting and community, during a period otherwise marked by isolation and anxiety. Amplifying the mental health benefits of knitting, crocheting and crafting and echoing #HatNotHate’s established spirit of unity, the PSA includes hopeful messages sent in from supporters far and wide whose lives have been impacted by bullying – either firsthand or through their loved ones.

The result is a rallying cry for knitters and crocheters to join in the pledge, use their skills to build campaign momentum and spread hope and inspiration to those who need it most. #HatNotHate is about “showing kids and young adults that they’re not alone,” says one individual featured in the PSA. “We see you…we’ve got you…and you’ve got a whole army behind you backing you up,” another participant says.

The video encourages everyone to get involved and show their support on social media by following @HatNotHate and using #HatNotHate. Crafters can participate in the campaign by knitting or crocheting a blue hat and sending it to #HatNotHate, Lion Brand Yarn Co. 140 Kero Rd. Carlstadt, NJ 07072 by August 2021 (exact date TBD).

For more information about bullying prevention and how to get involved, visit the website at HatNotHate.org.

Lion Brand Yarn Company is a fifth generation, family-owned business, and one of the leading distributors of knitting and craft yarn in the United States, with yarns sold online and at craft chains, discount chains and independent shops across the country. More than 80 different types of yarn can be purchased on LionBrand.com, in addition to tools and accessories. Among the company’s recent triumphs are #StitchAroundTheWorld, the largest virtual crafting event in history, and “The Shi Show,” a daily Facebook Live series hosted by brand ambassador Shira Blumenthal, who also founded the #HatNotHate anti-bullying campaign.

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