Project Linus - Bloomington-Normal

Project Linus founded in 1995, in Denver, Colorado is a non for profit organization with the goal of providing warmth and security trough blankets to children across the nation in need, the organization is now headed by Carol Babbit with the headquarters located in Normal, IL.

Goal

The goal of Project Linus is to encrouage people to make blankets all across the country for children in need, Since they started in 1995 Project Linus has donated almost four million Blankets, Currently they avrage about three hundred fifty blankets every month. Blanketeers, the name given to those who have made blankets for the organization, number in the thousands, with over three hunderd and fifty diferent chapters nationwide. Project Linus created blanket day,February eighteenth of every year, a day in which chapter leaders band together, make blankets and spread the word about Project Linus throughout the community.“The comfort brought to a child by a Project Linus security blanket should not be underestimated, A blanket to children means something for them to hang on to." said Carol Babbitt current national president of the organization. They encrouage everyone in the community to take action and become a blanketeer. The project is growing rapidly and shows no signs of slowing down.

History

In 1995 Parade Magazine published an article called "Joy to the world" which featured a small child who had been going through intinse chemotherapy. The article stated that the child found security through her blanket, she said they helped her through all of her treatments. In reading this, Karen Loucks of Denver, Colorado decided that it would be her life mission to make, and distribute security blankets to the local Childrens Cancer Center. She named her project, Project Linus. In the more recent years the organization as been taken over by Carol Babbit, who run the Project Linus headquarters right out of Normal, IL.

Influence

Project linus's influence has grown since 1995 from cancer patients at Colorado Cancer Center to almost any hospital, social service, shelter, social service, or any child left in need by any various disaster.

9/11 After the devastation caused by 9/11, may Project Linus chapters across the nation decided to pull together and make a huge donation to the families with children who had lost a parent or parents. In particular, the ladies of the Normandy Farms Retirement Home had always been making blankets for children who had lost fathers at war, after 9/11 the changed their efforts towards blanket making making for the victims families of 9/11.

Hurricane Katrina Project Linus rose to the occasion nation wide to donate blankets to children who had lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. Just months after the incident, blanketeers across the nation had donated over 4,500 blankets to the children affected.

Other disasters around the world where Project Linus stepped up. -Haiti earthquake 2010 -Minnesota tornados 2000 -Japan tsunami 2010

In the media

-Project Linus was recently featured on the hit game show jepordy,the question; "What started as a personal endeavor to comfort pediatric patients at the Rocky Mountain Children’s Center."

-Project Linus has been mentioned on many hit tv shows including the "Oprah Show", "The Today Show", and "NBC News".

Project Linus Confrence 2012

The Project linus conference is a 4 day workshop held in Valley Forge, PA June 27-30th, where participants can learn all about blanket making, participate in lectures, classes, learn how to manage a chapter, and many other blanket making activities. The conference is open to anyone and everyone interested in the organization or interested in lending a helping hand. The fee for the event is a mere $325.00 which includes all 4 days of the event, plus food and drinks. The conference will be held at the Radisson Hotel in valley Forge, due to this they have offered a special rate of $115.00 per room for the duration of the conference. Registration for the conference has already begun, you can register online on the Project Linus website.

How you can help

There are many ways to help Project Linus on their mission.

becoming a "blanketeer" A blanketeer are the people who make the blankets. Project linus accepts new, machine washable blankets to be donated to children from 0-18yrs of age. Project Linus will take any blanket sent to them, but they prefer the following; Quilts, comfortors, fleece blankets, crocheted, or knitted blankets in child friendly colors. The blankets must be home made and must come from a smoke free home. their site includes many pattern ideas, and several links to blanket making which should give you a good jump start on your blanket.

Gift of time or materials Chapters across the nation hold blanket making events throughout the year, you can donate your time and effort by attending these meetings and lending a helping hand in the blanket making. If you do not want or do not know how to make a blanket Project Linus is always accepting material donations, such as cotton' poly blend fabrics, wool, or other materials.

Open your own chapter Although there are already many chapters nation wide there are still some areas that arn't represented by Project Linus. You can fix this by opening a chapter in your area, responsibilities would include the organization of the chapter and its meetings, recruiting new blanketeers, and heading local blanket making events.

Donate you can make monetary donations to project linus to help them thrive and surpass their goals. project linus is dependent on these donations to stay up and running since it is a non for profit organization. All donations are tax deductable since it is a chairty organization.