For Immediate Release
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Contact
Pat LaMarche, Epicjourney10@gmail.com
Cathy Alderman, Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, 303-319-9155, cathy.alderman@coloradocoalition.org
Scott McLarty, (202) 878-2112, scott@gp.org
Blanket display and vigil in Denver on Dec. 21, organized by Homeless Memorial Blanket Project and Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
• When: Sunday, December 21, 2025
Blanket display: 1 pm to 5:30 pm MT
Vigil at 4 pm MT
• Where: Downtown Denver, Colorado in front of the steps of the Denver City and County Building, 1437 Bannock Street and surrounding areas
https://denvergov.org/Community/Parks-and-Public-Spaces/City-Venues-and-Buildings/City-and-County-Building
• More: https://www.coloradocoalition.org/blanketpartnership2025
DENVER, COL. — A display of handmade blankets and quilts and a vigil for people experiencing homelessness will take place in downtown Denver, Colorado on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 21.
The Homeless Memorial Blanket Project (https://memorialblanket.org) and Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (http://www.coloradocoalition.org) have partnered for the display alongside the community’s long-standing vigil. The display will be held from 1 pm to 5:30 pm MT, with the vigil at 4 pm MT at the same site.
After the display, the blankets and quilts will be donated to individuals and families in the Denver area who are in need of housing. Handmade blankets and quilts have arrived from across the US as well as from Australia, Canada, and Germany.
“I’ve had friends and family who have faced housing insecurity or have been unhoused at tough points in their lives, and each of them are people deserving of love and kindness,” said Chloe Cramer, blanket maker from Nederland, Colorado. “This project feels very rooted in dignity and humanity — recognizing unhoused people as no different from myself.”
According to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s Out of Reach Report (https://nlihc.org/oor), Colorado has the 8th highest housing wage in the nation. The lack of affordable housing is the primary cause of homelessness in Colorado (https://www.coloradocoalition.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/COAffordableHousingCrisis_StrategicInvestmentReport_CCH_2023.pdf).
“When people are in vulnerable situations, they often struggle with feeling alone, separate, disconnected, and unseen. If making one small blanket can offer warmth — and remind someone that they are cared about and that they matter — then it feels like a very small price to pay. I feel fortunate to be able to participate in this project alongside people across the country who are bringing awareness to such an important issue,” said Ms. Cramer.
Donating handmade blankets and quilts
2025 marks the Homeless Memorial Blanket Project’s fifth year and the first time it has moved off the east coast. Last winter’s display took place at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Dec. 21, 2024. More than one thousand donated handmade blankets and quilts covered the lawn and were thereafter distributed to families and individuals without homes.
Organizers have issued an invitation to people who care: “Whether you’re a skilled knitter, crocheter, sewer, or new to crafting, your contribution can provide a special, personal touch to those in need of warmth.”
Participants can create blankets using any method they prefer — by knitting, crocheting, quilting, or sewing — and can donate them through the Memorial Blanket Initiative. The blankets can be either 45 inches x 80 inches for individuals or 60 inches x 80 inches for family blankets. The Memorial Blanket newsletter at https://memorialblanket.org provides information on transporting blankets to the display location. Baby blankets are accepted as well.
For those unable to make blankets but still eager to contribute, financial donations are also accepted to help cover shipping costs, materials for others to turn into blankets and to support other organizational efforts. Donations can be made directly at https://memorialblanket.org.
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.
#memorialblanket
MORE INFORMATION
“Tariff policy imposes an extra expense on donations of hand-crafted Homeless Memorial Blankets from abroad”
Press release, September 29, 2025
https://memorialblanket.org/tariff-policy-imposes-an-extra-expense-on-donations/
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
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MemorialBlanket
~ END ~