The 7th annual drive to Blanket Orange County runs November 15 through December 10, 2010
This year, we hope to gather 400 blankets for the homeless in Orange County. Click here for a progress report.
“Blanket Orange County has become an annual event that is greatly welcomed and appreciated by the Inter-Faith Council and our homeless residents who want to stay warm during the winter months. Hundreds upon hundreds of blankets have been donated by friends of Blanket Orange County over the years that are used by residents at Community House and HomeStart. Volunteers and staff also provide blankets to unsheltered persons who sleep outdoors when shelters are full on cold winter nights. Your gifts of blankets are important and they make a huge difference in the lives of homeless persons.”
– Chris Moran, Executive Director, Inter-Faith Council for Social Service
Will you help by cleaning out your closets in search for gently used blankets* you no longer need?
Or by making a cash donation and we’ll purchase new ones on your behalf? Just $7 will buy a blanket!
Drop Off Locations for Blankets:
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce – 106 South Estes Drive in Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA – 980 Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Chapel Hill
- YMCA Children’s Center at Carol Woods – 7511 Sunrise Road, Chapel Hill
- Orange County Visitor’s Bureau – 501 W. Franklin Street, Chapel HillThe UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont – 100 Sprunt Street, Chapel HillYMCA at Meadowmont – 301 Old Barn Road, Chapel Hill
If you’d like to make a cash donation, we will do the shopping for you. 100% of your donation will go toward the purchase of blankets. And we will buy them locally.
Just write a check payable to Blanket Orange County and mail to:
Blanket Orange County c/o Business Class Inc PO Box 2037 Chapel Hill, NC 27515*Prefer blankets for single/twin beds. If you have larger blankets, feel free to donate them. We will find a good use for them.
Questions??? Contact:
Jan: jan@businessclassinc.com or Rosemary: waldorf@nc.rr.comAdditional Resources:
- Printable Version of this page
- History of the Project – see below
- News Release – November 24, 2009 – “Blanket Orange County Gears Up”
- News Story – WCHL 1360 – November 27, 2009 – “Blanket Orange County Aims to Keep Locals Warm” by Elizabeth Friend
- News Release – December 1, 2009 – “Strong Start for Blanket Orange County”
- News Story – The Herald Sun – December 2, 2009 – “Spread the Warmth” by Greg Childress
- News Story – WCHL 1360 – December 10,2009 – “Blanket Orange County Moves Toward Goal” by Ben Gellman
- News Release – December 11, 2009 – “Blanket Orange County 1/2 Way to Goal”
- News Story – The Herald Sun – December 13, 2009 – “Non-profit halfway to goal of 300 blankets”
- News Release – December 17, 2009 – “Final Push to Blanket Orange County”
- See updated progress report.
History of Blanket Orange County
2004 – Blanket Orange County was started by a group of business women who participated in The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Women’s Roundtable. That first year, they gathered 57 blankets which were given to The Freedom House Recovery Center, Orange House & Ronald McDonald House.
2005 – 100 blankets were gathered and given to The Community House (homeless shelter for men), Homestart (shelter for homeless women and children) and the Family Violence Prevention Center.
2006 – 200 blankets were gathered and given to The IFC for The Community House (homeless shelter for men), Homestart (shelter for homeless women and children); The Ronald McDonald House & The Animal Shelter.
2007 – 115 blankets were gathered and given to The SECU Family House, IFC ( split between Community House and Homestart), Ronald McDonald and the Animal Shelter.
2008 – 100 blankets were gathered and given to The IFC ( split between Community House and Homestart).
2009 – 366 blankets were collected….20% more than the goal of 300. 300 blankets were given to The IFC ( split between Community House and Homestart). Another 30 were given to individuals who live in outdoor camps. The remainder were given to Ronald McDonald House and to several families who lost all their belongings in home fires.
2010 – The goal has been set at 400. Blankets will be given to The IFC, The Neighbor House of Hillsborough and The Maggie Alvis Halfway House.