Children in Need Find Solace in Handmade Blankets and Quilts
Comfort in Cloth: How Project Linus is Making a Difference
In College Station, Texas, a remarkable initiative called Project Linus is providing handmade blankets and quilts to children coping with serious illness, trauma, or other challenges. This non-profit organization focuses on comforting children amidst adversity and has 17 active chapters in Texas alone. Patricia Perry, the Brazos Valley Chapter Coordinator, spoke about the extensive range of requirements the organization caters to.
Support For Children Across a Broad Spectrum
According to Patricia, “Children between zero and 18 might have a need. It may be illness, it might be emotional, or something going on within their family, where they just would benefit from having something new that was made for them”.
The handmade blankets from Project Linus, created by local volunteers using new fabric or yarn, are distributed to various local organizations, including Hope Pregnancy Center, and Chrissy’s Closet at College Station ISD. Casa in Bryan and Brenham, Pheobe’s Home, Hope Locker at Bryan ISD, and the newly added Ronald McDonald House are also beneficiaries of these warm, comforting creations.
Making Blankets: A Process of Love and Comfort
Members from the Brazos Valley Chapter gather monthly at a local store where they collect the blankets they have crafted. These works of art are created through a blend of machine quilting, knitting, and crocheting. The team, united in their mission, serves the community by delivering comfort through their handmade blankets and quilts.
The finished blankets are then handed out locally or, in instances of elevated need, shipped to different regions across the nation. For many volunteers, the act of creating these blankets brings worthwhile fulfillment.
Impact Beyond Comfort
Cindy Nevels, a long-time volunteer, shared, “It’s so fulfilling and so meaningful to have a purpose for my craft. The creative process is so much fun, but when you add that level of meaning to it—giving it to somebody who needs it, especially kids in various crisis situations—it just becomes so purposeful.”
Project Linus not only supports children in tangible ways. It also brings awareness to the often overlooked needs of children in the community. “There are so many kids in need in our community that we don’t notice or see all the time,” Cindy said. “Just to know that I’m doing something about it for them is really, really wonderful.”
Community Involvement: A Call to Heart
Project Linus lays stress on community involvement, emphasizing, “It doesn’t matter if you have a sewing or a crochet needle, as long as it’s coming from the heart.” For those who wish to contribute, the closest Project Linus chapter to Waco is located in Belton, TX. More information can be found at the official website of Project Linus.