For Immediate Release 

Monday, November 28, 2022 

Contact 

Betsy Garrold, mainefood55@gmail.com 

Pat LaMarche, Epicjourney10@gmail.com 

Homeless Memorial Blanket Project Coordinators to Gather Blankets  in Scarborough on the 6th of December 

+Homeless #MemorialBlanket Project to cover the West Lawn of the  Capitol with handmade blankets: Wednesday, Dec. 21 in Washington DC +People across the US with sewing, knitting, crocheting, and quilting skills  are contributing blankets: Find a state at https://memorialblanket.org + Facebook page with photographs and news about the project and  participants: https://www.facebook.com/groups/618847109344619 

SCARBOROUGH, MAINE— The Homeless Memorial Blanket Project, a  nationwide effort to encourage and compile homemade blankets for  distribution to unhoused individuals and families, is going to be in  Scarborough on December 6th gathering the blankets made by local  knitters, crocheters and quilters to be donated to the project. The Drop Off  site for southern Maine is the Wentworth School in Scarborough, 20  Quentin Drive from 8am to 10 am that morning. Pat LaMarche, the national  coordinator for the event, will be available to the press during that time. 

The blankets assembled from all over the country will be displayed on the  West Lawn of the Capitol in Washington DC on Wednesday December  21st. When the display is disassembled, the blankets will be distributed to  families and individuals in dire need during the winter. 

Pat LaMarche, founder of the project says:“I’m so excited to get home to  Maine and talk with folks about their work on the project. Artisans – with an  enormous talent and an equal capacity for caring – have devoted countless  hours to create gifts of warmth.” 

One of those artisans, Christine Albert of Portland, says: “During the  pandemic I saw that The Charles Bruce Foundation was asking people to 

make blankets for the unhoused population in Carlisle, PA. At the time I  was not able to make a blanket to donate so when the project went national  this year I decided to get involved.  

Housing insecurity impacts Mainers of all ages, including students I teach  and have taught over the years. When basic needs like shelter are  unpredictable students aren’t available for learning, instead they are  worried.  

I reached out to friends, family, and colleagues through social media in an  effort to gather handmade blankets. The Memorial Blanket Project asks  folks to donate handmade blankets for an installation on the West Lawn of  the US Capitol in an effort to bring attention to housing insecurity. The  Maine blankets will then be distributed to housing insecure Mainers.  Handmade blankets take time, energy, commitment, and love – they give  the maker an opportunity to think about people who are experiencing  homelessness. We want the receivers of these blankets to know they are  worth the time taken to have something beautiful created just for them, that  they are loved. Mainers have responded by knitting, crocheting, and  quilting the most incredible blankets. I’m so grateful to Pat LaMarche for  creating this group and asking me to help.” 

The Homeless Memorial Blanket Project is aiming for a total of at least 500  blankets (9000 square feet), contributed by participants in every state and  territory, for the display on Dec. 21 with the goal of raising public  awareness of people without adequate housing. 

The project has participants in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of  Columbia. Volunteers in each state are being asked to make at least 100  blankets, providing ten for the Capitol Lawn display and donating another  90 or more to outreach programs in their area. 

Typical blankets dimensions are 45″ x 80″ and 60″ x 80″ with a variety of  fabrics, fibers, and colors. 

Some states have begun to charter buses to bring participants to  Washington DC for the Dec. 21 display. 

The Homeless Memorial Blanket Project is hosted by the Charles Bruce  Foundation (https://charlesbrucefoundation.com), which is located in 

central Pennsylvania. The Dec. 21 display will be an arts installation by this  nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. 

Anyone interested in participating can sign up for their state at https:// memorialblanket.org. 

MORE INFORMATION 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MemorialBlanket 

“Homeless Memorial Blanket Project puts a spotlight on housing insecurity” The AFRO (Washington DC), November 6, 2022 

https://afro.com/homeless-memorial-blanket-project-puts-a-spotlight-on housing-insecurity/ 

Press release: Collection of blankets begins at a DC church in preparation  for the Homeless #MemorialBlanket display on Dec. 21 

October 26, 2022 

https://memorialblanket.org/?page_id=896 

Press release: Pennsylvania housing advocate invites donations of blanket  squares for the Homeless Memorial Blanket Project 

September 12, 2022 

https://memorialblanket.org/?page_id=858 

Homeless Memorial Blanket Project on Facebook (national group) To find a state Facebook group, type Homeless Remembrance Blanket and  the state’s name in Search 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/322512689587858 

Nonprofit Seeks Artisans Across US to Help the Unhoused Daily Kos, February 6, 2022 

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/2/6/2078926/-Nonprofit-Seeks Artisans-Across-US-to-Help-the-Unhoused 

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