For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Contact
Pat LaMarche, epicjourney10@gmail.com
Scott McLarty, scott@gp.org
Homeless Memorial Blanket Project to participate in Times Square Earth Day event in New York City, addressing Food Insecurity on April 22
• “Blanket-in-a-day” demonstration at Earth Day & Pause for Peace will encourage creation of handmade blankets
• #MemorialBlanket volunteers will collect donations of restaurant gift cards for people without housing
NEW YORK, NY — The Charles Bruce Foundation, which hosts the annual Homeless Memorial Blanket Project, is delighted to announce its participation in the Earth Day & Pause for Peace event to be held in the heart of Times Square on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Event founder Paul Sladkus has gifted the foundation a premier booth and promotional opportunities to share its humanitarian mission with a global audience.
Earth Day & Pause the World for Peace (https://pausetheworldforpeace.org/) will serve as a nationwide platform for environmental and social harmony. The Charles Bruce Foundation will use this national stage to promote the Homeless Memorial Blanket Project, which will visit New York City with a display of blankets at Stuyvesant Square Park on December 21 this year.
Each year thousands of volunteers from across the US and around the world create colorful and creative handmade blankets and quilts which are displayed as an art exhibit at a chosen high-profile location on December 21.
Following the display, the donated blankets and quilts are gently folded and delivered to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
The foundation is partnering with Unitarian Universalists of the Cumberland Valley (UUCV) and their Common Threads group to create a “blanket-in-a-day” as a live demonstration at their booth on April 22. Attendees will be able to witness the power of collective effort as volunteers work to complete a handcrafted blanket before the event’s conclusion.
In addition to blanket-making, the foundation will focus on raising awareness about food insecurity. Drawing on insights from Blanket Project co-founder Pat LaMarche’s groundbreaking book, Humble Pie, and in conjunction with her direct work with individuals experiencing homelessness, the Charles Bruce Foundation will highlight the overlooked crisis of food insecurity in the unhoused population. Free copies of Humble Pie will be available while supplies last. 100% of the purchase price for copies of the book will benefit people in need.
Those who would like to help may drop by the booth and leave a restaurant gift card during the Earth Day event. The Charles Bruce Foundation will get the cards into the hands of persons and families living in homelessness.
“When you work with people experiencing homelessness, you quickly learn that food insecurity is only one part of the struggle,” said Chris Kapp, a Charles Bruce Foundation board member and Community Minister at UUCV. “Access to a restroom is a major challenge. By collecting $5 and $10 gift cards to local eateries or chains like Dunkin’, Starbucks, and McDonald’s, we can help donors provide someone with a meal and, just as importantly, a ‘pitstop’ — a safe, dignified place to access toilet facilities.”
The Charles Bruce Foundation is inviting Earth Day & Pause for Peace attendees to visit its booth in Times Square and to contribute gift cards, participate in the blanket-making process, or join the conversation on community-based solutions to hunger and homelessness.
Donating handmade blankets and quilts
2026 marks the Homeless Memorial Blanket Project’s sixth year. Last winter’s display took place in Denver, Colorado, on December 21, 2025, followed by distribution of the blankets and quilts to those in need.
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
“Earth Day & Pause for Peace In the Heart of Times Square Produced by Paul Sladkus”
https://pausetheworldforpeace.org/2026/02/24/earth-day-pause-for-peace-in-the-heart-of-times-square-produced-by-paul-sladkus/
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
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