Welcome!

Drop Off Locations – Speaker Availability – Donations

Parker, Colorado is the birthplace of Project Linus – on Christmas Eve 1995. Our founding chapter turned 17 this past year! Since the early days, the Denver chapter has made and delivered tens of thousands of blankets to seriously ill and traumatized children locally and worldwide. Perhaps you have a story you would like to share about one of your loved one’s experiences with a Project Linus blankets. Please send to karen@workingforpeanuts.org

In the Denver metro area, most of our blankets go to Denver Health and The Children’s Hospital as they have the highest populations of pediatric patients. However, we regularly deliver to other local hospitals, hospice,  police & fire departments, social services, specialty camps, reservations, etc. We share our blankets with any one of the 370 chapters around the country when a special need arises. Project Linus has become an integral part of the military by delivering blankets to children of fallen soldiers.

Please do not deliver directly to the recipient sites if you want your blanket to be considered a Project Linus blanket. We need to inspect each donation for potential hazards. We sew our signature Linus tag before delivery onto every approved blanket.

Volunteer Opportunities

All chapters are run by volunteers. The Denver chapter is eager to have participation from the community. Knitters, Crocheters, Quilters and Polar Fleece Tie-ers are lovingly referred to as our Blanketeers. They come in all shapes, ages and sizes- just like children do. If you are a member of a group -schools, scout troop, church, 4H, civic clubs, MOPS, book club, guild, family night, etc.- who would like to have a fun, team building activity, making Project Linus blankets can be the answer!

Contact Project Linus Founder, Denver Coordinator & Author of Working for Peanuts: The Project Linus Story for details- 303-478-6652 or karen@workingforpeanuts.org

There are many other volunteer activities available if blanket making is not your cup of tea. Some suggestions include Fundraising, Labeling, Delivering, Public Relations, Event Assistance, Web Design, etc. but we are also open to your suggestions and skills.

Blanket Specifications

• Blankets must be handmade and unused (please, no store-bought).
• We cannot accept blankets that have been in a smoky environment, because some children are immune compromised and very sensitive. Removing the tar and nicotine from the fibers requires extreme measures (a simple to trip through washing machine is not adequate).
• If you have pets (and most of us do) please keep them away from the blankets. Some children are allergic to animals and perfumes, so it is imperative that we avoid these irritants.
• Any size is acceptable.  We deliver blankets to children ranging from neonatal to young adult. The best size that fits a wide variety of children is approximately 40″ x 60″.
• If you’re making polar fleece blankets, please trim off the selvedge edges before fringing. Those are the two side edges that curl up, have pin holes, and test patterns. It only takes a few seconds, and makes for a much more attractive blanket.
• Please do not fringe or put dangling embellishments on blankets intended for babies or young children as they may present a choking hazard.
• All patterns are welcome. If you are interested in pattern suggestions, they, as well as contacts for our other chapters, are available at www.projectlinus.org

Drop Off Locations

We have a variety of drop-off sites for finished blankets around the Denver metro area . These include:

Aurora Buckley, near Gun Club & Jewell- (909) 844-5250, Patty

Aurora Southlands – (303) 725-2322, Courtney

Englewood – Front Range Bank, 3594 S. Logan St (NE Corner of Hampden & Logan)

Highlands Ranch – Betsy at (720) 988-4893

Lakewood – Coldwater Creek Clothing in the Belmar Center, 340 South Teller Street  Lakewood, CO 80226  (303) 936-7070   Store Hours: Mon. – Sat. 9-8 Sun. 9-5 Sun

Parker- Zen Knitting on the south side of Pine Line Plaza at the NW corner of Parker Road and Pine Lane  (303) 840-7794, Susan

We are looking for more blanket drop offs in sites around town. Businesses make an ideal drop off location as they tend to be a more convenient for our blanket makers (blanketeers!)  Please contact Karen if you have suggestions. Thanks!

Speaker Availability

As an ongoing effort to continue educating the community about Project Linus, chapter representatives often speak to groups. This is our way of getting the word out without having to pay for advertising. We prefer to spend donations shared with Project Linus on items that directly benefit children. Founder Karen Loucks Rinedollar is a professional speaker and is available to present at events. She is the author of the award winning book Working for Peanuts: The Project Linus Story and is frequently requested for presentationsl  booksignings at schools, organizations and book clubs.

Donations

Project Linus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Monetary donations are tax deductible. Donation receipts are available for blankets and Items in Kind donations.  Blanketeers should keep store receipts when buying supplies, because that is what the IRS uses to value the items, vs. what the value of the finished blanket might be.  Please contact your tax preparer for specific questions.

Each coordinator is responsible for fundraising to support their individual chapter. If a check is sent to our national headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois, it will be placed in a general fund and used nationally. Checks donated locally, will specifically help locally. Checks should be made out to “Project Linus” and sent to Project Linus Denver Chapter, 20450 Oakbrook Lane, Parker, CO 80138.  You can also go onto the national web site www.projectlinus.org and specifically request that your donations is used for the Denver chapter.

To learn more about our national events and chapters, please  visit

Project Linus National Web Site:  www.projectlinus.org

Questions? Call Project Linus Denver at 303-478-6652