Since moving to St. Luke Health Services, Stephanie Hobby has been on a mission of compassion to knit as many hats as she can for distribution to the homeless and those in need here in our community.

The Peekskill, NY native brought with her a love of knitting and a determination to assist those less fortunate, which is why she spends a few hours every day constructing beautiful hats, using a knitting loom to assist her.

Photo 1 St4. Luke Resident Stephaine Hobby Knitting Hats For The Homeless 1 19LR

Stephanie Hobby, as she uses a loom to knit hats that she donates to Victory Transformation for distribution to area homeless.

Hobby, who has been knitting hats for years and donating them to Franciscan nuns in the Peekskill area for distribution to the homeless, had to give up the practice due to her health.

After deciding to relocate to Oswego to be closer to her family, Stephanie was encouraged to resume her knitting and with the aid of a small loom to make it easier, she found a way to continue on her mission to help the homeless. She has a steady supply of yarn to knit with, using supplies donated to St. Luke for just such a purpose.

“I don’t want anyone to feel unappreciated in God’s eyes, and hopefully a warm hat can remind someone that through this small a gift they are important,” Hobby explained. ““This is as beneficial to me as to those who are receiving the hats.  It passes the time ad keeps my mind off my troubles.”

To make sure the hats got to those most in need, Hobby turned to St. Luke’s Pastoral Care Coordinator Debby Greutman. Greutman in turn reached out to Daun Whittaker of Victory Transformation, a local faith based organization dedicated to addressing the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the disadvantaged, disenfranchised or at risk adults and families located at 225 West First Street in downtown Oswego.

Recently, Whittaker made a visit to Hobby at St. Luke to collect the first batch of twenty-one handmade hats, which Whittaker helped to

Photo 2 St. Luke Resident Stephaine with Daun Whittaker Victory Transforamtion Knitting Hats For The Homeless 1 19LR

Stephanie Hobby as she presents a recently completed collection of twenty-one hats to Daun Whittaker (right) of Victory Transformation.

distribute just prior to the recent winter storm.

Whittaker says she plans to make regular return visits to Stephanie at St. Luke to collect newly knitted hats, which will continue to be available at Victory Transformation.

“What Stephanie is doing is a remarkable act of generosity, and this is what helps to make our community a better place for all,” said Whittaker. “Those that receive them are appreciative of the hats as both a source of warm but also as a sign that someone truly cares and was thinking of them.”