RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Blankets are an important part of every child’s life growing up and even to some adults.
They offer a sense of comfort when we go to sleep, but for some kids it’s more than that.
Children who receive homemade blankets from Project Linus are usually seriously ill, traumatized or in some sort of hospital facility.
Named after the popular Peanuts character who always had his blanket, Project Linus in Wake County is an all-volunteer organization that gives handmade blankets, quilts and afghans to seriously ill children from infants to young adults.
The all-volunteer organization is the CBS 17 3-Degree Guarantee charity for the month of December.
The volunteers who make the blankets are called “blanketeers” and they use their free time and a common hobby to help comfort a sick child that they will likely never meet.
Many of the blanketeers started sewing when they were young and some started when their child was sick in the hospital and their family received a Project Linus blanket.
Melissa McPherson is one of those parents whose son received a blanket as a child in the hospital. She says, “It makes you feel better when they’ve got tubes and IVs and you can hide that all with something warm and fuzzy.”
Hailey Wagner received a blanket as a child when she was sick in the hospital and now makes them on her own and with the help of her mom and grandma have made and donated more than 200 blankets.
“Hospitals are not the most exciting places to be, it always is nice to get something and know this is soft, this is warm, someone made this especially for me,” says Wagner.
The Wake County chapter of Project Linus donated nearly 4,000 blankets in 2017 and has delivered more than 46,000 blankets since starting in 1996.
Susie Holmes started the local chapter and wants every child to know that someone cared enough about them so when they’re in that hospital and they put it on them, they are truly putting love on themselves.
They only accept clean, brand new homemade blankets that are washable. Typical blankets might be 36 by 50 inches, but can be as big as 36 by 72 inches. Blankets in all patterns and colors are needed, especially bright colors.
There are several drop sites across town where you can drop your homemade blanket or supplies. You can find these drop sites and learn more about how you can help on their website, projectlinus.org.
Project Linus also has an annual Make a Blanket Day event, which will be held on April 27 at the Temple Beth Or in Raleigh.
