Many hands stitch hugs, kindness into blankets Project Linus NJ volunteers range in age from 3 to 103 BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer Volunteers meet each week to knit and crochet blankets for Project Linus. KEYPORT - During the month of February, handmade blanket crafters across the country stitch in unison in the true spirit of giving to celebrate national Blanket Making Day. Project Linus NJ, a nonprofit based in Keyport and headed by President Hillary Roberts, is one of many chapters nationwide that work throughout the year to create and donate handmade blankets to children suffering serious illness or trauma. "We started in 1999 with eight volunteers," Roberts said last week. "Now almost 10 years later, we have about 7,000 people that represent every county." In New Jersey, volunteers for Project Linus NJ encourage others in the community to contribute their time and talents so that blankets can be distributed to children in need throughout the area. On Feb. 14, the group made a delivery to a children's hospital in Philadelphia for Valentine's Day, but, according to Roberts, holidays aren't the only days when blanket deliveries are made. "We try to make as many deliveries as we can," Roberts said. "We try to meet the requests we get." The delivery team, known as the Caravan of Love, travels to distribute the handmade blankets to state hospitals, cancer-treatment facilities, health clinics, homeless shelters, youth hospices, behavioral clinics and nonprofits caring for young clients throughout New Jersey. The people who volunteer for the group are known as "angels," and there are categories of angels- "shipping angel" or "good news angel" among them. Some local groups work on making blankets exclusively this month to meet the demand for Blanket Making Day, but Project Linus NJ works all 12 months of the year. "Unlike some smaller organizations, we work all year round with the community," Roberts said. "We give out around 600 blankets every month." A group of blanket makers meets every Tuesday at the Starbucks inMiddletown to knit and crochet for the organization. Roberts said that there is no age limit to help and that in Project Linus NJ, there is a 100-year span between the oldest and youngest volunteers. "People of all ages help with Project Linus NJ," Roberts said. "We have people helping us from the age of 3, with our oldest volunteer at the age of 103." During February, Project Linus NJ volunteers made quilts and blankets with heart themes and crocheted and knitted blankets using the colors red and white. Since 1999, more than 125,000 children have been served through the dedication of Project Linus NJ's 7,000-strong volunteer corps, according to Roberts. Roberts, who began Project Linus out of her Keyport home, said she has watched with pride as the group has grown over the past 10 years. "It's become a movement," she said. "There are many groups like ours around the world. It's all about passion, a hug, or a kind gesture that our group feeds off of."