Project Linus

[KMP]

good idea. I think I'll do the same with the email that Disney gave me. I did a search for local nj chapters, but they are requiring 6 blankets per person and I just don't know if we have time to do 12 blankets between dbf and me.

I got a response from the national organization....

If you have any opportunities in your area, even other than Project Linus, the Project Linus virtual opportunity is not available to you. Disney designed the program this way, and it is something we have no control over. The virtual opportunity was intended for people who have nothing listed for their community.

Out of luck I guess. Now if I could only find an opportunity that isn't hours away that will allow my young child to attend with me.

 

[vettechick99]

I hope this isn't considered "thread Hijacking", but I am signed up to do this project for GAD and I have a question or two...I know the blankets have to be single layer fleece, 45" x 60", and fringed on the long ends. I have made double layer fleece blankets before, but they had fringe on all four sides. Am I fringing the ends that measure 45" or the ends that measure 60"? I assume it's the raw edges that get fringe, whichever length that is. Is there anything else expected besides just cutting and tying knots? Seems too easy. I do want to contribute nicely done work.

Check here http://projectlinus.org/. If you look at the No-Sew Fleece link, it will show you the pattern. This is what I am going by.

 

[kandt]

I just wanted to share my eperience. I signed up Tuesday for making blankets for the NH chapter, made them that night, mailed them out Wednesday morning, and just got the email with the vouchers this afternoon!

 

[MomPOM]

You have to understand that most of these chapters consist of someone doing it from their home and they are seriously overwhelmed right now. The poor woman I dropped off with today had over 2,000 blankets to deliver when her normal is 500. She's one person doing it in her area and has had to cut off volunteers. A lot of the chapters didn't sign up which adds to the influx of people in the chapters that are left. Also PL is one of the only places that allows young kids (age 6 and 7) to participate.

It's hard when each chapter is run differently and doesn't have a standard procedure. Unless you have a deadline, I'd wait a bit until things calm down and try again.

 

[karliebug]

I can't find the link to send these to a national address. there are none in our area, but I'd love to do this with my daughters and send them in. can someone tell me where to find the info.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Wow thanks for the heads up. I'm going to email our local chapter and see if they are participating. We have one opportunityclose by (swim instrcutor, so i'm not qualified) and none under age 16 for 100+ miles, so this would be perfect.

 

[pixarmom]

I hope this isn't considered "thread Hijacking", but I am signed up to do this project for GAD and I have a question or two...I know the blankets have to be single layer fleece, 45" x 60", and fringed on the long ends. I have made double layer fleece blankets before, but they had fringe on all four sides. Am I fringing the ends that measure 45" or the ends that measure 60"? I assume it's the raw edges that get fringe, whichever length that is. Is there anything else expected besides just cutting and tying knots? Seems too easy. I do want to contribute nicely done work.

Same here! We have a chapter about 90 miles away, and I contacted them to ask which they would prefer. Because we live in a colder climate, they prefer the double layer fleece with the tied fringe all around - not the pattern on the website. (They said that because the website is a national one, and some children are in climates where the double layer would be too heavy, the national website links to the single layer method.) They also specified that fleece blankets should be 1.5 to 2 yards wide. So it might be good idea to check with your contact person first.

We wanted to take our kids to deliver the blankets personally, and our contact invited us to their monthly meeting this Saturday, so that the kids could see the process, meet some of the volunteers, and help out a bit on-site. What a wonderful organization - we're excited to get involved!

 

[KMP]

I can't find the link to send these to a national address. there are none in our area, but I'd love to do this with my daughters and send them in. can someone tell me where to find the info.

If you have ANY opportunity in your area to volunteer the option to send blankets to the National HQ of Project Linus is not available to you. (As I quoted above.)

 

[jzensky]

Can you tell me long long it was between when you dropped the blankets off and when you got your voucher? We mailed our blankets to the NH chapter on Wednesday and are hoping to get our voucher before we leave in 13 days! Thanks for your help!

We dropped ours of on a tuesday, the volunteer coordinator inputed our information on a wednesday and we got our email voucher on sunday. We leave on the 29th of this month so I was thrilled! Good Luck!

 

[geenerbell]

Can you tell me long long it was between when you dropped the blankets off and when you got your voucher? We mailed our blankets to the NH chapter on Wednesday and are hoping to get our voucher before we leave in 13 days! Thanks for your help!

I'm not sure if this will answer your question, but our local coordinator said to space your drop-off day, by two days, with your volunteer day because it can take up to two days for them to upload the verification to GAD. For example, I registered my volunteer day as Friday, January 22 but I plan to drop the blankets off on Monday, January 18. With the MLK holiday I gave a few extra days. We have the option of mailing but we decided to drive the hour so me can deliver them in person. Our project is based in the Ronald McDonald House at Children's Hospital.

 

[geenerbell]

I hope this isn't considered "thread Hijacking", but I am signed up to do this project for GAD and I have a question or two...I know the blankets have to be single layer fleece, 45" x 60", and fringed on the long ends. I have made double layer fleece blankets before, but they had fringe on all four sides. Am I fringing the ends that measure 45" or the ends that measure 60"? I assume it's the raw edges that get fringe, whichever length that is. Is there anything else expected besides just cutting and tying knots? Seems too easy. I do want to contribute nicely done work.

Ours said nothing about having to be single layer. We received the following guidelines:

30x30 for preemies
Twin size for teens
They are in need of boy patterns.

 

[knebel22@frontiernet]

The local chapter here in Orange County NY is not requiring that we make blankets and turn them in.
We have to go to a community center on February 5th and help put blankets together.
I even emailed the director to make sure after reading all of the threads about this.
We only have to make them ourselves if it snows that day.

Denise

 

[Canyon girl]

The main thing to remember is that the national headquarters is signed up; as well as, many local chapters. They all seem to have different requirements...VERY CONFUSING!!! It seems, from reading, that the number of blankets per person varies from 1 to 2 to 6. Some organizations accept both single layer and double layer, and some accept one or the other. Just be sure to read the specific instructions for your area. As far as being accepted by the national headquarter or not, we live in an area of few possibilities. 1) Prepare taxes for the less fortunate or 2) Seniors to volunteer (age 55 and over). My family was accepted by the national headquarters for blankets. I just looked at something that was posted somewhere on the boards that you could type in "disney world, fl" into the search on the sign up site. When I did this, several "do-it-from-home" opportunities came up, including getting books for the USO. I do believe that there are probably many opportunities in Orlando. I guess my point is that, although this program is a great idea, it is really confusing and frustrating to put into practice for most families not in big areas. I think that it should have been easier to find "family activities." An opportunity a couple of hours from me was reading to kids. The age requirement was 14. My 10 yo DD has been reading in front of people from the age of 5. Why in the world would a person have to be 14 to read aloud to kids??? Good luck to all!!!

 

[KMP]

I guess my point is that, although this program is a great idea, it is really confusing and frustrating to put into practice for most families not in big areas. I think that it should have been easier to find "family activities." An opportunity a couple of hours from me was reading to kids. The age requirement was 14. My 10 yo DD has been reading in front of people from the age of 5. Why in the world would a person have to be 14 to read aloud to kids??? Good luck to all!!!

For me I found it frustrating that my zip code puts into the NYC area, where the majority of opportunities are. But in order to do that, I'd have to take the day off work, take the train or bus to and from, etc. I WANT to volunteer and this has spurred me to find local opportunities outside of this program, but dude, a free ticket would be good too.

 

[disneylove69]

The main thing to remember is that the national headquarters is signed up; as well as, many local chapters. They all seem to have different requirements...VERY CONFUSING!!! It seems, from reading, that the number of blankets per person varies from 1 to 2 to 6. Some organizations accept both single layer and double layer, and some accept one or the other. Just be sure to read the specific instructions for your area. As far as being accepted by the national headquarter or not, we live in an area of few possibilities. 1) Prepare taxes for the less fortunate or 2) Seniors to volunteer (age 55 and over). My family was accepted by the national headquarters for blankets. I just looked at something that was posted somewhere on the boards that you could type in "disney world, fl" into the search on the sign up site. When I did this, several "do-it-from-home" opportunities came up, including getting books for the USO. I do believe that there are probably many opportunities in Orlando. I guess my point is that, although this program is a great idea, it is really confusing and frustrating to put into practice for most families not in big areas. I think that it should have been easier to find "family activities." An opportunity a couple of hours from me was reading to kids. The age requirement was 14. My 10 yo DD has been reading in front of people from the age of 5. Why in the world would a person have to be 14 to read aloud to kids??? Good luck to all!!!

I live in a big city and can't find any volunteer opporunities. I have signed up to be on a waiting list for 6 different things. Linus blanket isn't taking anything til Marchs. I did find that all want money. Many organizations are on the list but none taking anybody.

 

[BradyBz12]

If you're not planning a trip until after the Spring, give it some time and try again. The "big push" is on right now with all the promotion and the program being brand new. JMHO, but I would expect that the hubbub will die down in a little while, and still well before they reach the million voucher mark, and all the of the groups that are maxed out for volunteers in the next few months, will be looking for people once the big rush dies down.

 

[DisKate]

If you have ANY opportunity in your area to volunteer the option to send blankets to the National HQ of Project Linus is not available to you. (As I quoted above.)

KMP,

What is considered a "local" opportunity? My home zip code is only pulling up opportunities that are 55-60 miles away

 

[BradyBz12]

Just an update - my local (NH seacoast) chapter of Project Linus has posted the following info...

We have met out quota for Jan and Feb.

We are now accepting volunteers with a service date on or after March 10th.

 

[tikilyn]

There's a project linus about two hours away from us but not on in our area. I wonder if they will accept us into this one. There are not oppertunities for my kids in our area. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I have to edit this post because it makes no sense. Thats what happens when you try to type while eating chex mix!!! lol

So we have no oppertunities for my kids (all under 9) in our area but I found a Project Linus about two hours from us. I've email the person in charge and asked if we could sign up due to not being in the area. I told her that I was willing to drive the two hours to deliever the blankets if that helps. So I'm keeping our fingers crossed that we can get accepted.

 

[surfergirl602]

Ours we mail locally, one blanket per person.