El Paso Project Linus
Providing Security to Children One Blanket at a Time
HISTORY
Project Linus began in 1995 as the brainchild of Karen Loucks, who saw an article in Parade Magazine titled Joy to the World. It was written by Pulitzer Prize winning photo-journalist, Eddie Adams. Part of the article featured a little girl who was comforted through her chemotherapy treatment by her blanket. Karen and some of her friends began making blankets and donating them to children at the local cancer care center. Since then, Project Linus has given over 7,784,696 blankets to children worldwide in a variety of stressful situations. Our name is taken from the Peanuts character that is never without a blanket of his own. Charles Schulz knew about Project Linus and approved the use of his lovable character in the cause of providing security blankets for needy children. As a result of Mr. Schulz' support, Project Linus blanketeers sew an identifying fabric tag with the Linus character on it to each blanket before delivery to the children.
MISSION STATEMENT
It is our mission to 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 volunteer "blanketeers."
It is also our mission to provide a rewarding, educational, and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities for the benefit of local children.
STATISTICS
Project Linus has 367 chapters throughout the United States which have donated 7.7 million new, handmade blankets to children in crisis as of 2019.
Our El Paso Chapter has been active since July 2002. In 2020, we gave blankets to 1,364 children in our community. We have a great beginning for 2021 - 142 blankets in January and 81 in February for a total of 223 for 2021. Since our Chapter began, we have donated over 30,329 blankets! YES!!! We reached a milestone - 30,000!!! LET'S WORK ON THE NEXT 30,000 BLANKTEERS!!
MEETINGS
El Paso Project Linus meets the first Saturday of each month at The Immanuel Baptist Church, 1201 Hawkins Blvd, El Paso, Tx
Our meetings start at 9:30 A.M. and are usually finished by noon.We work on blankets at the meeting as well as share ideas, teach techniques and skills. If you knit or crochet, bring your project along. If you want to learn to make blankets for Project Linus, we can teach you.
Newcomers are always welcome!
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON:
SATURDAY MARCH 6, 9:30 - Noon,
IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH
1201 HAWKINS BLVD
Project Linus of El Paso meets at Immanuel Baptist Church.
Click here for more information.
See you there!
OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
- Contact the Chapter Coordinator at the Contact Us link if you would like to make a monetary donation.
- Check out the El Paso Project Linus Wish List.
- Have a yarn drive!