Brothers Gives Back to PassingHats.org

Supporting Passing Hats and Their Mission to Comfort Cancer Patients

At Brothers Plumbing, Heating & Electric, giving back is not a marketing checkbox. It’s part of how we show up for our communities. Through our Brothers Gives Back initiative, we proudly donated to Passing Hats, a nonprofit organization whose work brings warmth, dignity, and comfort to cancer patients across the country, one handmade hat at a time.

Who Is Passing Hats?

Passing Hats is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a simple but powerful mission:

To add warmth and comfort to every cancer patient through a hat made with love.

As of March 2026, Passing Hats will be celebrating:

• 16 years of service
• Over 150,000 hats handmade and gifted
• More than 16,000 hats created in 2024 alone

Each hat is knitted, crocheted, sewn, or loomed by volunteers and provided free of charge to patients undergoing cancer treatment in hospitals and infusion centers.

How Passing Hats Began

The story of Passing Hats began with one conversation and a moment of empathy.

Founder and CEO Ellen Miller was contacted by a former high school acquaintance whose daughter was traveling to Dallas for cancer treatment. When Ellen asked about her favorite colors, the answer was pink and purple. Ellen knitted a few hats, not only for her daughter but for other children on the hospital floor.

She encouraged the young patient to hand out the hats herself. The result was something unexpected. It lifted spirits, created connection, and brought smiles to a place that desperately needed them. That moment became the spark.

In March 2011, as Baylor University Medical Center opened its new cancer center, Ellen launched Passing the Hat, teaching patients and survivors to knit hats during chemotherapy infusions and pass them to the person next to them. The idea grew, the name evolved into Passing Hats, and the organization became a recognized nonprofit.

From 8 Volunteers to Nationwide Impact

Passing Hats started small. Just 8 individuals creating about 35–40 hats per month.

Today, the organization has grown into a multi-state network:

• Texas: 50+ distribution locations
• Colorado: 29 locations
• Arizona: 3 locations and growing
• Colorado roots established in 2017 when Ellen moved to Erie

Volunteers work individually and in groups, creating hats with care and intention. All management and participation are fully volunteer-based, and 100% of donations go directly toward purchasing materials.

Passing Hats was also featured on KDVR Fox News, highlighting the impact of their work and the thousands of hats created to support patients during treatment.

Expanding Reach and New Partnerships

Passing Hats continues to grow in both reach and heart.

• The organization is partnering with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s Faces of Hope program, placing a teal hat inside their signature teal bags for patients nationwide.
• Cindy, President of the Gamma Chapter of DKG Hawaii State Organization on Maui, has joined the mission, expanding awareness and participation even further.

Each new partnership extends the same message: no one facing cancer should feel unseen or unsupported.

Why Brothers Gives Back Chose Passing Hats

At Brothers, we serve homes, families, and neighborhoods. Supporting Passing Hats felt natural because their mission mirrors our own values. Care. Comfort. Community.

Cancer treatment can be long, exhausting, and isolating. A handmade hat might seem simple, but it carries warmth, encouragement, and the reminder that someone took the time to care.

We are honored to support an organization that turns compassion into action and stitches hope into every single hat.

How You Can Support Passing Hats

You don’t need knitting needles to make a difference. You can:

• Donate to help fund materials
• Volunteer to create hats
• Share their story with others

Learn more about their mission and impact at passinghats.org.