NEWSROOM

Past news from the home page:

5/25/07 - I received a lovely note today from Valerie - I'm sharing part of it here: "I just wanted to let you know that I was reading thru Leslie's sites and decided to click on this and saw that you were still currently working on this project and had not forgotten about all of us on the Gulf Coast. I teared up at the thought of that. I think this is still a very worthwhile project as so many are still in temporary living situations and worse. Thank God for people such as yourself and bless you. It does a heart good to know that we are being cared for in such a genuinely sweet way. I will send this website to some of our local papers."

5/22/07 - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and several other agencies are now predicting a 75% chance for an above-normal hurricane season with possibly 7-10 hurricanes and 3-5 major hurricanes. SO START KNITTING AND CROCHETING BLANKETS NOW! If our blankets aren't needed (and I sincerely hope they're not!) you can donate them to another local charity.

3/25/07 - I have been contacted by Leslie who is working on some excellent hurricane relief projects. If you would like to help people with a variety of needs (not just blankets!) read this blog for full details and needs.

9/9/06 - I am so grateful to ALL of you who continue to contribute blankets! But I want to give a special VERY BIG THANK YOU to Diane A. in San Deigo who just sent 13 more blankets this week for a personal grand total of 64!

8/17/06 - Maggie from Close Knit Hugs made a personal delivery of 35 blankets to New Orleans. Read all about it on her website... (and see pictures!)

7/27 - A friend of mine traveled to New Orleans to work with Habitat for Humanity and I sent 17 blankets with her. Click here to see pictures of some of the recipients! [NOTE: She is planning to go back so I will continue to collect blankets to send with her on the next trip!]

6/12/06 - YES - we're still collecting blankets! We're gearing up for this summer's hurricane season. Our fingers are crossed that we won't have any catastrophes this year, but we're stockpiling blankets just in case.

4/8/06 - The organization "Babies and Blankets" at Scripps College in Claremont, CA contacted me a few weeks ago and offered to ship blankets to many people on the waiting list. I just got confirmation that they have shipped 74 blankets!! My sincerest thanks to Amalia, the president, and her entire group for their work!

3/19/06 - The blankets have been delivered!
Read all about it and view photos.

I now have requests for 57 more blankets (mostly adult-sized). Please spread the word to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, churchmates, etc, etc. Not ready to tackle another blanket? Knit or crochet 8" squares and send them to Close Knit Hugs.
 

3/15/06 - It was a big delivery day -- 6 boxes arrived for a total of 46 blankets!! That means we'll be taking 196 blankets with us to Cameron, LA on Friday. I want to give a special thanks to Diane from San Diego - she made 26 beautiful quilts and sent them! Another thank you to all of you who sent squares to Maggie at Close Knit Hugs - I received 11 blankets from Maggie today.
Stay tuned for a delivery update on Sunday........
 

3/9/06 - We broke another milestone today -- since September we've collected 600 blankets! Eight of the blankets I received today were from Girl Scout Troop 333 in Miami, FL. These girls learned to sew and created these blankets for their Silver Award project. They've lived through many hurricanes themselves and wanted to share their blankets with other hurricane survivors.

3/8/06 - I've been away for two days and when I returned home tonight my husband presented me with 5 big boxes of blankets that arrived while I was gone. HOORAY! My huge thanks to Barbie, Linda, Phi Beta Lambda and the Tallahassee Crochet Club. Check out the latest count... (newest additions are at the bottom).

2/18/06 - Two boxes arrived today for a total of 11 blankets. Seven were from the Columbiana Public Library in Columbiana, Alabama. They teach free knitting classes at the library and in return ask students to knit something for charity. What a wonderful idea! Four were from Marie N. in Walnut Creek, CA - this is her second shipment to this project. Thank you all!

2/11/06 - I'd like to give a big Thank You to Mother & Daughter Handmade Gifts in Georgia -- they sent 23 beautiful quilts and blankets!

2/9/06 - HOORAY! I just received 32 quilts from Phoenix, AZ. They were made by Sowers of the Living Word Lutheran Church and the Sew-n-Sews of St. Andrew Lutheran Church. Thank you, ladies!!

1/16/06 -- As blankets arrive I've been sending them directly to folks who've emailed me asking for a blanket. If you'd like to check with me before shipping your blanket, I may be able to tell you a direct address to send to. Email Heather at info@blanketsforthegulf.com

1/15/06 -- A BIG THANK YOU to many of you who have written and promised more blankets! I regularly get requests for blankets and I'm completely out of them right now. So keep those blankets coming!! Try to spread the word to your friends, coworkers, yarn store, etc.

12/17/05 -- THE BLANKETS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED! Read my travelogue (sorry, it's kinda long) and view pictures. The blankets were delivered to Cameron Parish in southwest Louisiana.

YES - I will continue to collect blankets! I plan to make a second delivery in mid-March. If you're not ready to tackle the project of another blanket, consider making a No-Sew Fleece blanket or sending 8" squares to Close Knit Hugs. See the Patterns page...

These photos were taken on 11/20/05 of the 142 blankets I had received so far.

In the Press:

Blankets for the Gulf has been featured or mentioned in the following news outlets:

KnitSimple magazine - 12/05 [PDF]

The Beacon News - 10/5/05

San Angelo Standard-Times - 9/28/05 [PDF]

Austin American-Statesman - 9/24/05 [PDF]

Good Morning America - 9/22/05

Fredericksburg Standard front page article - 9/7/05

Press Release

The following Press Release has been distributed via PRNewswire in October 2005:

Grassroots Relief Effort Giving the Gift of Warmth

Hundreds unite - hand making thousands of blankets for Katrina victims

Imagine the warm feeling one gets when cuddling up under a blanket on a cold winter day. Now, imagine a victim of Hurricane Katrina, left with no personal belongings, but given the gift of warmth in the form of a lovingly handcrafted blanket by a complete stranger. Blankets for the Gulf is attempting to do just that. Thousands of Americans across the U.S. are banding together to create handmade blankets for survivors of Katrina; a small, but meaningful gift for the holiday season.

In only 2 short months, Blankets for the Gulf, an organization sprouted by one woman’s desire to offer her talent of knitting to better the lives of those left homeless by Katrina, plans to knit, crochet, sew and quilt more than 5,000 blankets by December 1, 2005. The blankets will be distributed just in time for the holiday season and will let those ravaged by Hurricane Katrina understand that people still care for them, even months after the tragedy.

"As soon as the news came across the screen, we desperately wanted to find a way to let hurricane victims know that people all across the United States were thinking about them – enough to where hundreds of Americans volunteered precious time to handcraft something they can carry with them for a lifetime,” says organizer Heather Foeh. “Blankets for the Gulf really just seeks to help them recover and feel comfort in some small way."

Already garnering support nationwide, the group expects to reach their number in time for the December 1 deadline. However, Foeh says more volunteers are genuinely needed and deeply appreciated.

Full details about the project, shipping information and suggested blanket patterns can be found at www.BlanketsForTheGulf.com.

Media Inquiries: Please contact Heather Foeh at info@blanketsforthegulf.com