100+ New Blanket Donations: How I Drive Crafting Comfort for Kids in Need
The cause that keeps giving
I’ve been hosting volunteer events for the past 5 years to make blankets for kids in need.
And have probably donated over 300 new blankets in the last 4–5 years.
I honestly haven’t kept a count.
How it all began :
I didn’t start this journey with either a goal or an expectation.
Taking a step back, I didn’t think this was going to be a journey.
I just wanted to spread the joy of something my kids loved, to other kids.
So I had to find a way to do it.
I stumbled across Project Linus which is a US-based organization that helps in the distribution of blankets to kids in shelters, hospitals, and other centers across the country through local chapters in all 50 states.
Given their preference for new, unwashed blankets, my wish was to deliver blankets with a personal touch.
3-step process to convert fleece sheets into blankets of comfort :
There are many ways to make blankets but I am not a knitter or yarner.
So I had to find something that was easy yet efficient.
Tie Blankets are one way of doing it, but there are other fun and creative ways to make blankets as well.
No Sew fleece blanket with braided edge is the method I’ve been using which helps make blankets in 3 steps — Cutting strips, slitting them, and connecting them together.
It is simple and easy to follow and has truly, attracted more helping hands because people seem to enjoy the method of doing it.
This is a very forgiving method as it is easy to fix in case you think you messed(?) up.
4 pillars of my cost-effective strategy to host blanket-making events:
Keeping in mind that the plan is to help kids in need, I am very intentional about how I budget the expenses for the event.
I run these events with the foundation of 4 pillars.
Out of which only 1 of them needs $, which is for the fabric of the blankets themselves.
- The Supplies
- Fleece sheets — 2 yards per blanket for teens and 1.5 yards for non-teens
- Scissors — The sharper the better
- Crochet needle (optional — we are not crocheting but they make the job easier!)
Fleece sheets are available in most stores that sell Fabric.
If you are in the US, my go-to is Joann as I look out for deals and have often gotten them for around $8 per blanket.
2. A place to host the event
Most public libraries let you book rooms to host any non-commercial events for FREE which has been the best option for me.
Hosting in a library has multiple benefits -
- Clean place with tables — my local library has been very generous in giving me tables and chairs which makes it easier for multiple blankets to be made at once.
- Good platform to raise awareness — the word spreads more easily being in a public place as people stop by to see what is going on and want to join the effort.
If the library is not an option for you, you can do it a home. You just need to make sure they are made in a pet-free and smoke-free environment.
3) Hands to make them
I started doing this with my kids and then some neighbors joined.
Gradually, the group grew as the word spread about the cause, and the interest in the method of doing it.
My kids’ friends have joined now and their parents(yes, dads too!), and it has become an event everyone looks forward to.
Learning and promoting a new skill through the purpose of giving is a very fulfilling experience
4) Last but not the least, a digital invite for the event
I know, I know — I could just send a text but I reuse the invite created on Canva for every event by just updating the date and time.
This is a time-saver for me. And, so much easier for the invitees to just forward it to their friends and so on.
5 things I have learned through the years:
- Season of giving is all year round
Is winter the only time to donate blankets — not really!
Most kids use blankets as a sense of comfort, so they need them all through the year.
2. Frequency of events
I host the events twice a year — one in Spring and one in Fall (Autumn) each.
I planned it this way as I wanted to do these events closer to my kids’ birthdays because I want them to have an element of giving back as part of their birthday celebrations.
This frequency and timing seem to be working for me so far considering everyone’s schedules and how much help we can get at each event.
3. Growing donations
Initially, I used to be the only one getting the fleece sheets, but gradually more people started bringing them in. Hence the number of blanket donations has increased as well.
4. Not in the US or no Project Linus Chapter by you?
There are always alternatives!
The local chapter in my area had shut down for a bit during the pandemic. So I’ve been working with a Child Advocacy Center directly to donate the blankets.
5. Raising awareness of the cause
Spreading the word about a cause has no limits. Every new invitee to the event is a new person who is learning about this.
Before you go :
I hope this has been helpful for you if you’re looking for ideas on giving back to the community with a personal touch.
I’d love to hear from you if you’ve other ideas on similar causes :)
