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Frequently Asked Questions

 

Do you have a question about Project Linus or want to know how you can help? Review our listing of common questions along with helpful answers below. If you have additional questions not answered here, contact us at linusleslie@gmail.com or 201-391-0102.

 

How can I help?

Make a blanket and donate it our Project Linus chapter. We will take your blanket to a facility where it will be given to a deserving child.

 

How can I make a monetary or gift card donations?

You can write a check payable to "Project Linus" and send it to 1 Stratford Ct., Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677.  The check should indicate it is for the "North Jersey Chapter."  We will deposit it and the funds will be used to purchase supplies that will be used to make more blankets.  All donations are tax deductible as we are a 501c3 non-profit organization.  Gift cards from Michaels, Joanns, Wal-mart, or Staples will help us acquire materials necessary to make more blankets.  Cards should be sent to the address below.  Postage stamps will also be accepted.

 

How are monetary donations used by the organization?

There are many expenses involved in maintaining our Project Linus chapter. Normal expenses for our organization are: fabric, batting, yarn, other blanket-making supplies, blanket labels, printing, office supplies, postage, and shipping to name a few.

 

I have fabric or other blanket-making materials to donate. What should I do?

Our chapter is always very grateful for donation of yarn, fleece, quilting materials, postage stamps, or gift cards from Michaels, Joanns, Wal-mart, or Staples.  Your donation will be put them to good use buying necessary materials.  Materials must be new, unused, washable, and free of contaminants such as mold, mildew, animal hair, and smoke. They should be cotton or cotton/poly blend fabrics. Cotton or acrylic batting is acceptable and as are (non-wool) yarns that are washable. Knits, double knits, and other fabrics not appropriate for a child’s blanket may not be acceptable.  Please remember that Project Linus blankets are for children, so please avoid black, dark brown, and charcoal colors.  Bright or cheery colors or patterns are suggested.  Materials can be dropped off or sent to the chapter at 1 Stratford Ct., Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 or left at one of our dropoff locations.  All donations are tax deductible as we are a 501c3 non-profit organization. 

 

What type of blankets does Project Linus accept?

Our chapter accepts NEW, HANDMADE, WASHABLE, quilts, blankets and afghans for giving to children ages 0-18 years. Project Linus blankets are not donated to adults. As a national policy we accept all sizes and styles. Project Linus blankets must be of excellent quality and free from contaminants. Special care should be taken to ensure that blankets are free of smoky smells or any chemicals which could cause problems for a child. Ensure that blankets are free of pet or animal hair. Hospitals will not accept these blankets, and they will most likely be discarded. Recent studies show that laundering these blankets does not remove contamination, and in some cases can even make it worse.  Always check blankets carefully for pins, and remove any embellishments such as buttons that could be swallowed.

 

What do you mean by “handmade,” and why?

When we say “handmade” or “homemade” we mean something that is not commercially manufactured or purchased. Of course, home sewing machines, knitting machines, etc. are fine. It has always been the mission of Project Linus to donate only handmade blankets. We receive hundreds of letters and thank you notes every year from children and parents. Over and over they express how touched they are that a stranger would take the time to make something for them. They really make a difference. Purchased blankets are nice, but handmade blankets are from the heart. If you do not have the time or ability to hand craft a blanket, perhaps you would consider a monetary donation.  Checks payable to "Project Linus" can be sent to 1 Stratford Ct., Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677.  Gift cards can also be sent to this address.  All donations are tax deductible as we are a 501c3 non-profit organization. 

 

What type of blankets does Project Linus NOT accept?

Project Linus chapters are instructed to reject blankets that are not of excellent quality. In addition they must be free from contaminants. Special care should be taken to insure all blankets are free of smoky smells or any chemicals which could cause problems for a child. Hospitals will not accept these blankets, and they will most likely be discarded. Recent studies show laundering such blankets does not remove contamination, and in some cases can even make it worse. Again, if unusually strong smells due to chemicals used in detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets, mold and mildew or smoking products are apparent, most hospitals will discard the blanket rather than jeopardize the health of a patient. Always check blankets carefully for pins, and remove any embellishments such as buttons that could be swallowed. Thank you for helping to make sure that Project Linus blankets are safe and healthy, and will bring only comfort and security to a child in need!

 

What about sizes?

Project Linus donates blankets to children, from infants through teens. Many sizes are appropriate. For example, knitted, crocheted, and quilted blankets (not fleece) could be as small as 30" × 36".  Those are for babies.  Baby blankets cannot have fringe because it can be a choking hazard.  Fleece blankets must be at least 40" x 60" and are for older children.  Blankets for older children can be knitted, crocheted, quilted, or no-sew fleece.  Blankets could be as large as twin size for teens.  Please do not make blankets bigger than twin sized. (40" x 70")

Newborn: 30” x 36”     Babies/Todlers: 36” x 36", 36" x 40", or 40” x 40”    Older Child: 40" x 60" or 45" x 70"

 

Where can I find a pattern for making a Project Linus blanket?

Check the Patterns/Links page on ProjectLinus.org to see what is currently available online.  The easiest pattern is the "no-sew" fleece kind.  All you need is at least 1.5 yards of fleece fabric (54" wide).  Please, please, please cut the selvage edges (the uncut edges) entirely off.  Remove a 4" by 4" square from each corner.  Cut 1" wide strips for fringe along each side and then tie a single knot in each strip.  Don't tie two strips together.  Email me at linusleslie@gmail.com for a detailed instruction sheet with diagrams. 
Knitters, crocheters, and quilters can use the pattern of their choice.

 

The North Jersey (Hudson/Bergen) Chapter of Project Linus has been making blankets for children in distress in our area since mid-2002. Our total blankets delivered to date is over 57,000.

Where do the blankets go?

  • Hackensack University Medical Center Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units

  • St. Joseph’s Regional Children’s Hospital, Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Paterson

  • Valley Hospital Pediatric Units & Pediatric Emergency

  • Englewood Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care

  • Holy Name Medical Center, Teaneck

  • Audrey Hepburn Children's House

  • Clara Maas Medical Center

  • DCF Shelters in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Morris, and Sussex Counties

  • Center for Hope and Safety

  • Children’s Aid and Family Services

  • Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (children of fallen military personnel)

  • Mountainside Hospital

  • St. Mary's Hospital (Passaic)

  • Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital (NYP in NYC)

  • St. Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston

  • Overlook Hospital, Summit

  • Eva's Village, Paterson


Many groups are involved in making blankets for our chapterMany organizations and companies have been very generous in supplying blankets for our cause.

  • Secaucus Blanketeers

  • Clifton Quilters Guild

  • Ladies of Secaucus Senior Housing

  • First Presbyterian Church Blanketeers, Elmwood Park

  • Warren Point Presbyterian Church Blanketeers, Fair Lawn

  • Saint Paul Sisterhood

  • Need-L-Wits of Elmwood Park

  • Ladies of the Wallington Senior Center

  • G3 Communications

  • Dixon Homestead Library

  • Blanketeers of the Woodlands, Ramsey

  • Blanketeers of Sunrise Independent Living, Cresskill

  • Blanketeers of St. Peter the Apostle Church, River Edge

  • Washington Grand Hookers, Washington Township

  • Peace Through Knits and Purls - Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Dumont

  • Stanley Congregational Church - Chatham

  • St. Joseph Catholic Church, Lincoln Park

  • Five Star Premier Residences, Teaneck

  • Brownstone Quilters Guild

  • North Hudson Girl Scouts, Bergen Girl Scouts

  • Ramapo College

  • Ramsey High School

  • Stevens Institute of Technology

  • William Paterson University

  • KPMG

  • NJ HOBY members

 

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ways to help

When and where to drop off blankets

Please include your name, address, and email address and indicate the blankets are for Project Linus.

 

Blankets can be mailed to:

Leslie Maltz

1 Stratford Ct, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 

201-391-0102   linusleslie@gmail.com

 

Other drop off locations are:
Joann Fabric & Crafts, Rt. 17 North, Paramus and 48 Route 23, Riverdale, NJ

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Secaucus Public Library, 1379 Paterson Plank Road. Secaucus, NJ

 

Law Offices of Christine Carey Lilore, 361 Clinton Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ

201-560-9922 (This is the new address as of 1/.1/22)

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Stanhope United Methodist Church, corner of Rt. 183 and Main St., Netcong, NJ

drop off locations

 

Ways to Help

  • Make a blanket out of acrylic yarn or washable fabric. It can be crocheted, knitted, quilted, or fleece.
     

Minimum Sizes (measurements are approximate):
Newborn: 30” x 36” or larger with no fringe as it can be a choking hazard
Young Child: 36” x 40” or 40” x 40”
Older Child: 40” x 60” or “45” x 70”

 

  • Donate materials such as yarn, fabric or batting.

  • Donate Michael’s, JoAnn’s, Staples, or Wal-Mart gift cards/certificates.

  • Donate supplies: postage stamps, paper, envelopes, etc.

  • Donate by writing a check payable to "Project Linus" and send it to 1 Stratford Ct., Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677. 

  • All donations are tax deductible as we are a 501c3 non-profit organization. 

    Amazon UsersAmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Project Linus every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.   The easiest way to shop at AMAZON SMILE and make sure that your purchase benefits Project Linus is to click through the link at the bottom on our home page at projectlinus.org  Or, you can simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.


 

newsletters

Winter 2022/2023 Newsletter

We are so grateful for all the support we received during the worst of the pandemic. We hope that everyone is healthy and has gotten their vaccinations and boosters.  We have resumed our normal schedule of meetings at the Secaucus Public Library and will continue to meet unless public health officials deem that too risky. 
 

We continued accepting and delivering blankets throughout the months/years of the pandemic.  Some places temporarily suspended receiving our blankets, but others have increased their deliveries.  Deliveries are all being made outdoors to reduce any unnecessary risks.
 

Several months ago we delivered our entire inventory of 691 blankets to the joint military base in central NJ.  Thousands of Afghani refugees were airlifted out of Afghanistan and brought to this base among others.  We know they left their homes with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.  So we donated our inventory to the children who were now in a new country.  As per the mission of Project Linus, we wanted to help the children feel wanted and secure, each with his or her own new Project Linus blanket.  The delivery was accomplished with the assistance of Bergen County Executive James Tedesco who provided a truck and manpower to make the delivery. 

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​Our members are encouraged to stay safe and observe all procedures of the health officials.  It can be a lonely time, but we are all here for each other.  If you haven't gotten your covid and flu vaccines, please do so asap and any boosters. Please be cautious and follow the guidelines of the CDC. 

      Wear a mask if you wish when around other people.

      Maintain social distancing  between you and the next person.

      Wash your hands often and take at least 20 seconds to wash them.

      Use an alcohol based hand sanitized when hand washing is not feasible.

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A number of our volunteers have been facing other illnesses and we wish them complete and speedy recoveries.   Consider getting a flu or pneumonia shot.  We want all our supporters to stay healthy.  Hospitals and shelters always ask us for more blankets during the cold months.  Our blankets continue to be in great demand.  So many groups, individuals, and corporations have generously provided blankets to keep our supply plentiful.  But we can always use more as we deliver to more locations than we have ever done.

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As of November 1,  2022 our chapter has delivered our 57,000th blanket.  Thankfully, our many volunteers have been making blankets so we can continue our deliveries.  We sincerely appreciate everyone's help.

 

In addition to the risk of injury or sickness, please don't venture out if there is bad weather.  Too many of us aren't as spry as we used to be. 

 

Recent donations have been received from cub scouts,, colleges, women's clubs, churches and synagogues, the Clifton Quilters, individuals, and corporations.  Thank you so much.  The children can feel the love that went into the making of the quilts and blankets.

 

Our chapter continues to grow as more groups make and donate blankets for us to deliver to children.  We continue to serve many facilities throughout Hudson, Bergen, Morris, Essex, Passaic, and Sussex counties.  We also deliver to Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in NYC.  Knowing there are more children in need of our blankets, we will expand our reach to new locations. 

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There has been a particular need for blankets for children under the care of several social service agencies. It is so sad to know that there are so many children in local shelters. We hope all the children will feel a little more secure as they curl up in their new blankets. 

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Did you know that knitting and crocheting are good for you?  The NYTimes published an article stating that knitting and crocheting as good for your health.  Studies have shown that the repetitive movements are relaxing and good therapy for our busy lives.  Next time you are stressed, pick up some yarn and create.  You can tell everyone you are doing it for your health.

 

 

 

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Because of the pandemic, we have not hosted any Make A Blanket Days.  Corporations, churches, and schools have  hosted Make A Blanket Days and donated large quantities of blankets as a result of service projects.  Schools have begun requiring students to perform service projects. We are proud to partner with them as they make and donate blankets.  We have many new blanketeers of all ages from scouts to seniors that have joined us.  More Make A Blanket Days will be scheduled.  We will continue to send press releases to many newspapers, although not all carry our stories.  Both our Facebook page and our web site carry the latest announcements of the events.  ​We are so grateful to everyone who helps us along the way.

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We continue to receive donations of beautiful yarn for our knitters and crocheters and fabric for our quilters.  Donations have come from families downsizing to smaller housing as well as people who collected fabric and never made quilts. We have received some beautiful yarn that will soon be transformed into blankets of many sizes and colors.   We are so grateful for all the donations.    Our talented quilters have been busy making beautiful quilts.  The children love the patterns.  While we receive blankets and quilts from many people, we want to let the Clifton Quilters Guild know how much we appreciate their efforts.  Our own Evelyn Post submitted an entry in a national quilting contest sponsored by Project Linus.  Thank you so much!

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As we need to continuously replenish our supplies of yarn and fabric, we submitted applications for grants to several organizations.  If you know of a potential source of funding for us, please share that information with our chapter coordinator. And we are ever so grateful for all the individual and corporate donations we receive.  Consider donating some yarn that will be transformed into beautiful blankets.

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​We thank all our blanketeers and supporting organizations for all their help to our chapter. So many people are helping by being dropoff locations, delivering blankets to the facilities we serve, picking up blankets from supporters, buying supplies, sewing labels, providing our meeting room, and, of course, making blankets. We couldn’t exist without you.

 

As we approach the end of the calendar year and the coming holidays, please know how much we appreciate you and your support.  We could not continue to help the children without you.  Please stay safe and healthy so we can continue to get together.

Leslie

KEEP

IN TOUCH

OUR MAILING ADDRESS

1 Stratford Ct.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677

 

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Email: linusleslie@gmail.com


Tel:  201-391-0102

 

CONTACT US

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blanket guidelines

National Project Linus

 

Our Mission is 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.”

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And we provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

 

Link to the National Project Linus website:
                              http://www.projectlinus.org/

 

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