Each year we hold a Keiki Blanket Drive at all of our Discount Fabric Warehouse locations.

One of our favorite things to do is support organizations that help keiki in need. Throughout the year, our Hilo and Kona stores collect blankets for Project Linus. However, we want to make sure that blankets that come in to our stores get distributed to organizations within the communities that surround them.

This year’s Keiki Blanket Drive will run through the end of October 2023. We encourage you to bring in kid-friendly blankets for donation to organizations like Project Linus who will pass them on to children in need of a little comfort when faced with an unfamiliar situation.

Here’s a bit about each of the organizations that will be benefitting from this year’s Keiki Blanket Drive:

Project Linus

Project Linus is a nation-wide non-profit organization that provides handmade blankets to children in need. The organization services all 50 states and we are fortunate to have two chapters here in the state of Hawaii. There is a Hawaii Chapter as well as an Oahu Chapter. Unfortunately, at this time, no other chapters have been formed for the other islands.

According to the Project Linus national website, there are two missions that the organization believes in:

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 volunteer “blanketeers.”

Second – Provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

The Hawaii Chapter has distributed blankets to organizations all over the island, including Hilo Medical Center, Hospice of Hilo, and Child and Family Services, just to name a few, as well as several organizations on the west side of the island.

Organizations chosen by our Maui and Kauai stores will be listed soon.

How You Can Help?

1. Donate a homemade blanket. Any blankets that are donated must be new (not previously used), handmade (quilted, sewn, knitted, crocheted, or no-sew fringed fleece), high quality construction, machine washable and dryable, and kid friendly.  This means bright, cheerful colors!  Remember our blankets go to both boys and girls, of all ages.  Blankets must be free of pet hair, smoke smells or other strong smells.  Also, please make sure no pins have been left in the blankets! And although there is a need for blankets of all sizes, they can be no smaller than one yard square (36″x36″).
2. Donate fabric that is suitable for blankets to be made by volunteers at a later date. You can let the cashier know when you donate the fabric that you’d like it to be donated towards Keiki Blankets. They can help you from there.
3. Spread the word! Maybe you have an organization that needs community service hours or know of a group that would love to help! Let them know about the blanket drive! We can also help coordinate opportunities for groups to come in and use our classroom spaces for blanket making sessions! Just speak to a manager.

A Gift for Your Generosity

As a thank you for your generosity, we’d like to give you a $5 Discount Fabric Warehouse gift certificate for your first donation of a qualifying blanket. (One gift certificate per person.)

Questions?

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail us at fabricdfw@gotfabric.com. We’d love to help!