Project Linus was named after the adorable security blanket-toting character from the Peanuts comic strip, nearly 300 chapters exist with more than 7 million blankets delivered since 1995. Project Linus is a non-profit organization with a two-fold mission.
First, Provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteers called “blanketeers”.
Second, Provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.
You can become a “blanketeer” by making a blanket and donating it to our chapter of Project Linus. Your blanket will then be given to a deserving child, permanently.
We welcome all styles of blankets made in child-friendly colors/prints. Crocheted, knitted, quilted (100% cotton or flannel), fleece….you don’t have to be an expert! Blankets must be NEW, HANDMADE and WASHABLE. Elaborate or simple, they are all beautiful to a child. Fabric blankets can be quilted by machine, hand or tied. If you are tying the blanket make sure the ends are trimmed to 1” and the knots are secure. Please do not add any embellishments to the blankets such as buttons that could be swallowed by a child. If you are using a no-sew fleece pattern, please be sure to trim off both selvages FIRST. Not sure what selvages are? Ask the clerk who is cutting your fleece to please show you, they’re those odd looking edges at the top and bottom of the piece you have, sort of raggy looking.
We accept all sizes of blankets. We donate to children, infants through teen years, so any size is appropriate. Here are a few guidelines:
Baby Blankets: One yard of fabric (36”X36” or 36”X42”) makes an acceptable baby-sized blanket.
Toddler through Pre-Teen: An average sized blanket is 40”X60”. A cut of fabric is usually 40”or 42” wide – so 1 and 2/3 yards of a 40”or 42” wide fabric is the perfect size for a blanket. If you are making a fleece blanket, 1 1/3 yards of 60” wide fleece works well for toddler/pre-schooler blankets. For youth/grade schoolers/pre-teens, 1 ½ yards of 60” wide fleece works well. PLEASE trim selvages (the two outer edges with company printing/little holes) off all fleece when you start.
Teen Sized Blankets: In order for a blanket to be comfortable for a teenager, it needs to be at least 2 yards in length. Since polar fleece is 60” wide, a 2-yard piece makes a nice blanket for a teenager. PLEASE trim selvages off both edges of polar fleece when you start.
Our current need for blankets is in all of the above sizes.
Edmunds Ace Hardware, 56 Main St, Antrim, NH
Golden Gese Quilt Shop, 22 Liberty St, Concord, NH
JoAnn Fabrics, Capitol Shopping Center, 8- Storrs St, Concord, NH
Goffstown Ace Hardware, 5 Depot St, Goffstown, NH
Quilted Threads, 116 Main St, Henniker, NH
Red Coat Realty/Travel, 246 W Main St, Hillsboro, NH
JoAnn Fabrics, Granite State Marketplace, 1328 Hooksett Rd, Hooksett, NH
TD Bank, Main St, Jaffrey NH
JoAnn Fabrics, West St Shopping Center, 401 West St, Keene, NH
New England Fabrics, 55 Ralson St, Keene, NH
Manchester Craft Market, Mall of NH, 1500 S Willow St, Manchester, NH
1-Day Surgery Center/Level 4, Surgery Center Reception Area, Elliyt at River's Edge, 185 Queen City Ave, Manchester, NH
Off the Oval, 326 Nashua St, Nashua NH
Vynterest Antiques and Flips, 475 Elm St, Milford, NH
JoAnn Fabrics, Westside Plaza, 10 Northwest Blvd, Nashua, NH
Cobblestone Quilts, 10 Elm St, Townsend, MA
JoAnn Fabrics/TJ Maxx Plaza, 440 Middlesex Rd, Tyngsboro, MA
These locations are set-up with large containers clearly marked with Project Linus signs. Please make sure that you leave your contact information (name, address, e-mail, etc) with your blanket(s), so we can acknowledge your donation. After blankets are received they are washed (some children have pet/fragrance allergies) and the official Project Linus label is sewn on before the blankets are delivered.
We have made some excellent contacts in the area since opening our chapter. As needed, blankets are delivered to:
Birthright of Manchester https://birthright.org/manchester/ Bedford
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Birthing Center
CHaD Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth, Lebanon
Cheshire Medical Center Keene
Childhood Cancer Lifeline (www.childhoodcancerlifeline.org) Hillsborough
Concord Community Action Program, Head Start/ Concord, Pittsfield, Warner https://www.bm-cap.org/child-development
Concord Hospital
Elliot at River’s Edge One-Day Surgery (Manchester) Elliot Pediatrics (Manchester)
Families in Transition, Manchester https://www.fitnh.org/
Family Promise of Greater Concord http://familypromiseofgreaterconcord.org/
Feeding Tiny Tummies, Keene area https://www.facebook.com/Feeding-Tiny-Tummies-1936851193234938/
Front Door Agency https://www.frontdooragency.org/
Hundred Nights Shelter and Resource Center, Keene http://hundrednightsinc.org/
Keene Child Protection Youth Services Dept.
Lamprey Health Care Nashua Center (www.lampreyhealth.org)
Marguerite’s Place, Nashua https://www.margueritesplace.org/
MATS (Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter) Peterborough
Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention, Keene/Jaffrey https://mcvprevention.org/
Monadnock Community Hospital Peterborough
Nashua/Milford Bridges (www.bridgesnh.org)
New Ipswich Welfare/Health offices
Pregnancy Resource Center, Keene https://www.pregnancyresourcekeene.org/
Rise for baby and family, Keene https://www.riseforbabyandfamily.org/
Shelter from the Storm (transitional housing shelter in Jaffrey)
Southern NH Medical Center (formerly Memorial Hospital) Nashua
Southern NH Services Head Start and Early Head Start/Greenville, Hillsborough, Manchester, Nashua
Southwestern Community Services Head Start/Claremont, Drewsville, Jaffrey, Keene, Newport, Swanzey
The Forgotten Initiative/Concord https://theforgotteninitiative.org/
The Grapevine Community & Resource Center, Antrim
The Pass Along Project https://www.thepassalongproject.com/
United Way of Greater Nashua https://unitedwaynashua.org/ Camp Mariposa https://www.bgcn.com/camp-mariposa/
Wilton Police Department
Due to COVID precautions, our chapter holds monthly parking lot meetups, rather than workshops the 4th Tuesday of the month at Bennington Congregational Church, 5 Main St., Bennington, NH from 5:30-6:30 in the fall, winter months. Come for any portion of the hour, bring any blankets you have completed, pick up some donated yarn, fabric, fleece, for future Project Linus blankets. Rindge Congregational Charity Crafters meet the 3rd Saturday of the month from 1:30-3:30 pm at the First Congregational Church, 6 Payson Hill RD, Rindge, bring your knitting, crocheting, etc., all are welcome.
We will keep you updated throughout the year with monthly newsletters and e-mails. We would love to hear from you with ideas, suggestions, or if you can pass along leads for blanket donations.
Robyn Manley, Chapter Coordinator
227 Bible Hill Rd, Bennington, NH
Phone: 603-588-2427
Linda Bryer, Assistant Coordinator
Phone: 603-588-2679
Joni Sue McGarvey, Assistant Coordinator
PH: 603-878-6050
National Project Linus website: www.projectlinus.org
Like us on FACEBOOK: Project Linus Southwest NH Chapter