Welcome to the Project Linus Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA Chapter!
We welcome you and invite your support of children in need of a hug with the gift of a new, handmade quilt, afghan, or fleece blanket. Take a few minutes to read more about our Chapter, how you might want to participate, and contact us by using the email address below if you have any questions, suggestions or ideas. And of course, your deductible financial support is gratefully accepted – just use the Donate button on any page.
Project Linus & Crestline Elementary
When Crestline Elementary School was destroyed in February, Project Linus stepped up with a blanket for each of the 500+ children, teachers, staff and principal. Between Friday when they left and Monday morning, everything Crestline people had and collected was gone. A terrible sense of loss was evident in every face.
The picture here shows Su Scott, Jodene Cook, Kirsten Bledsoe (school counselor) making a delivery to one of the five schools where classrooms have been placed temporarily Click this link to see the KOIN TV report on our blanket deliveries and see the joy in the children’s faces.
Project Linus – 13 Years in Portland/Vancouver & 35,000 Blankets
The Portland/Vancouver Chapter, established July, 2001 by Marla Zupancic, immediately attracted other enthusiastic volunteers to form an active and vibrant group of women and men who enjoy making blankets and who care deeply about children who are facing difficult situations. Marla passed the reigns to Jodene Cook who took over as coordinator in 2008.
The Project Linus concept began Christmas Eve 1995, with an article in Parade Magazine entitled, “Joy to the World.” Part of the article featured a petite, downy haired child. She had been going though intensive chemotherapy. Her “security blanket” had helped her get through the difficult treatments. Inspired, Karen Loucks took the idea and decided to provide homemade security blankets to Denver’s Rocky Mountain Children’s Cancer Center. Project Linus was born!
Project Linus – the perfect name – based on the adorable security blanket-toting character from the Peanuts comic strip. Creator Charles Schulz was aware of our efforts and was delighted to have Linus inspire blanket makers (blanketeers) to help comfort children in need.
The Mission
Our chapter is a 100% volunteer non-profit organization and shares the same two-fold mission as all other Project Linus chapters of the National Organization – through service in our community, provide comfort to children:
First, 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.”
Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.
Contact Jodene Cook, the Portland/Vancouver Chapter Coordinator, for information about finding your place in this amazing mission, jcooklinus@q.com.
Walt and Jodene, love the new web site. Well done. Thanks!!
Jodene, your website is fabulous! Thank you for sharing it and the Teddy Pattern with our Sacramento CA Linus Chapter Leader.I just wanted to thank you and let you know how much I enjoyed your website.
Sandy Crane
Auburn CA
My daughter is a Crestline Kinder who brought her Linus blanket home with her today. She loves it! I know it will be something special for her for years to come.
Thank you!
It was our great joy to provide blankets to each student at Crestline and the entire staff.
I wanted to let you know that our son is so very thankful for the blanket he received after his school, Crestline Elementary, burned down. He sleeps cuddled up to it every night. Words cannot express how grateful we are for all the support and love… your blankets have made a huge impact, a soft warm safe place in a scary time for these kids. <3
It is amazing the power that a Project Linus blanket can have to heal and comfort a child,
Jodene,
Your website is truly amazing! I am jealous, givesme ideas of what to do with mine when my webmaster can upgrade mine. Can’t wait to send you the next strips of the Round Robin quilt.
Lani Fisk
Phoenix/SE Valley AZ chapter
What a great website. Also it’s great that you have some terrific volunteers. I hope everything will continue to grow as you help fill the needs of the community. As a coordinator in Wilmington, NC. It amazes me how many hurting people there are trying to get by and the comfort of a blanket means so much to them.
My group consist mostly of retired ladies but they are limited with income or commitment to help their grandchildren. I do what I can and try to raise awareness in our area. Thanks for all the work you do.
Thank you for brining blankets to the children of Mrs. Watts class at Ellsworth Elementary. My son is in that class and I am also a staff member there. To see the kids vwrapped in blankets and writing letters about their beloved teacher was beautiful. The blanket for my son will be a special reminder of his wonderful teacher! Thank you!
My 2 year old son Jaeger had open heart surgery last week. It was so nice for him to be in the PICU on a warm pretty handmade quilt. Thank you for what you do. A blanket is a sense of security for kids–the perfect item needed after a traumatic event. It will be handed down in our family as a keepsake along with his surgery story.
Heidi and Jaeger