A community effort in Oak Park and River Forest will provide close to 600 blankets, comforters and sleeping bags to those in need this season.
The second annual OPRF community blanket drive, held from Nov. 1-18, asked for new or lightly used blankets, comforters and sleeping bags to be donated to organizations that assist the homeless or those in transitional housing, said co-organizers Laura Jordahl and Mary Gearing.
“Word got out, and people started acting,” Gearing said. “Lots of good things are happening, just from the drive.”
This year’s 11 collection locations — there were four last year — included churches, schools, local businesses and Ridgeland Common. Cheryl Sullivan, who handled the blanket collection at Mann School, said she probably saw as many blankets donated in the third week of the drive as she did in the first two weeks.
In addition to the good that’s done by providing blankets to those in need as cold weather sets in, Jordahl said the children involved in the collection and the delivery of blankets are able to learn and better understand the experiences of others.
“It made them realize giving back is a meaningful opportunity,” Jordahl said.
It’s critical that children be involved in service projects at a young age, Sullivan said, and even kindergartners can understand the need for warmth.
“Sometimes, we take for granted even blankets for sleeping,” Sullivan said.
Items collected were distributed to Housing Forward and Fraternite Notre Dame in Austin. Throw blankets were sought for shelter situations, queen-size blankets and comforters for transitional housing, and sleeping bags for street outreach, Gearing and Jordahl said.
Although Gearing said they were hoping for a greater number of blankets donated this year, online crowd-funding brought in $1,300 to be used for the purchase of blankets as well.
“Our actual outreach created the foundation for growth next year,” Gearing said.
Blankets can be dropped off year-round between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, at 545 S. East Ave. in Oak Park, Gearing and Jordahl said.
Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.