December 2007
Dear Project Linus,
What an amazing organization! Thank you for bringing a smile to my son, Ben's face. He loves his sports blanket. What an amazing group you are!
Thank you
Ann Tarpey

August 2007
Dear friends at Project Linus, Thanks for the out-of-this-world awesome atmoshere blanket. from, Noah
--his mother added--Thank you so much for making and sharing these beautiful blankets. Noah received a brightly colored blanket of the universe/solar system-How kind of you-what a delightful gift-It brought a smile to our faces at a truly trying time.
Noah is 10 years old-He and his dad were in a horrible car accitdent on July 22nd.
Noah was airlifted to Comer's Children's Hospital and under went 2-1/2 days in PICU-3 surgeries and 4-1/2 days on the 5th floor.
When he received the blanket her said, "mom, this is so nice-someone who doesn't even know me-cares about ame and made this blanket for me!"
Keep up your good work--it is truly appreciated.

Dear Project Linus,
My son, Parker, was born with a cancerous tumor that had nearly killed him. It came as quite a surprise when he was rushed off to the neonatal intensive care unit upon birth as my husband and I had been told numerous times throughout the pregnancy that we had a normal, healthy baby boy. I don't think I can describe the rush of emotions that a mother goes through at a time like that. Of course, there is grieving, crying, hoping, and praying...but I think the one that is felt the most is a feeling of loneliness and of being totally lost. No one ever prepares you for the NICU, having a grave possibility of losing your child within three days or signing the consent forms for chemotherapy and watching your child suffer through the horrible drugs. And, just like in so many other cases, there is no one there to relate to that knows exactly what you are going through. I remember looking at all of the other isolates in the NICU our first week there. They were all so beautiful. They had these adorable blankets that made each baby's isolate their own little home. When Parker received his blanket, it meant so much to me that now he had his own little home too. I knew we were going to be there for a long while and having this little blanket made all the difference in the world. I never thanked you or the ladies who take the time and care to make such wonderful blankets until now. Now, by the miracle of God, my son is healthy and cancer free. We spent a month and a half in the NICU and another 5 months in and out of Jungleville receiving chemo. We always took that blanket with us. It was our "angel blanket". In fact, Parker sleeps with that blanket every single night. It's his very favorite. I hope that you all know how much these blankets mean to the families who receive them. They mean the world and provide a lot of hope. You are a wonderful organization. Please keep up the wonderful work. Bless you and Thank you so much.
And from Grandma:
Remember when you had your children? You heard and said things that included the words "as long as it's healthy" No one ever told you about the large number of babies that end up in Newborn Intensive Care. Today that number is even greater and there is still no-one to prepare you for the shock and horror of seeing a newborn surrounded by giant machines and tubes of all sizes inserted to such a small body. Your world is crashing... the family is in shock and it seems the end of normal life; and IT IS!
Your new life evolves around one huge room filled with very sick babies... but you only see your child the first few days. You try to understand all the things you are being told by doctors and nurses... but it is over whelming ... everyone is doing the best they can for the baby.
Why is this new life so lonely...
Wow! a beautiful new blanket... JUST FOR YOUR BABY... From a total stanger! Maybe someone does care after all... now your child is no longer in such an ugly cold looking isolete; now the baby's new home has a bright cover to protect baby from the 24 hour lights and the prying eyes of well meaning strangers.
THANK YOU, You helped us get past many bad days... I only wish you knew how much you blanket protected our baby and our family. That blanket was there every day giving us hope, support and reminding us that we were NOT ALONE!
God Bless You for all the hours of love, hope, and support you put into your "Somebody Cares Blankets"
God Bless You!!

June 19, 2003
Today I delivered 15 blankets to a wonderful non-profit agency that works with children who have been sexually abused. My contact there tells me the therapists like to give blankets to the children to help them feel safe. Recently, a 4 yr old child was concerned about being safe at night. She was allowed to choose a blanket to have, and then, as part of the therapy session, they "infused it with magic" so it would protect her. I was so moved that I just had to share this. It reminds me of the difference even one blanket can make.
Robin Chapter Coordinator Atlanta N.E.

April 20, 2004
Dear Project Linus,
Thank you for your kindness to the boys and girls of Lawrence Hall. Your gift of one quilt for each child in our residential program is deeply appreciated and will help us continue to provide for our children. Such support from our friends contributes to the success of each and every one of the children at Lawrence Hall.

Our children may not know the name of each individual who helps them begin anew, but they do know that there are kind and generous people in the world who care enough to help them heal. On behalf of all of our children, thank you very much for your donation. To our boys and girls, your friendship and support "make a difference to last a lifetime."
Thank you so much for the kindness you show our children.
Sincerely,
Mary H. Hollie
Chief Executive Officer

Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004
Dear Friends,
I work in a Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Project Linus blankets are often given out to our babies in the unit. I'm sure the women or men that make these blankets know that they are doing a "good thing," and a "nice thing." But I want them to know specifically what their blankets do. I know they do this thing without recognition or thanks. But I wish to recognize every one of them though I won't know their names and I wish to thank them heartfelt. Thank you from myself, the other nurses, the babies and especially the parents!
A hospital, even a unit for babies is a very cold, sterile, clinical environment. The NICU is big, full of activity and noise. Every baby is hooked up to monitors, ventilators, feeding tubes, oxygen and IVs. It is very technical and nothing at all like what a parent has planned for their baby to live in after arriving. Very often the babies cannot wear clothes the parents have for them because of IV lines or surgical dressings. The babies don't have much peace or comfort with all the monitors beeping and all of the procedures and labs being done on them. Everything a parent sees in the unit and on their precious baby is a jolting reminder that their baby is sick, in the hospital and is not just their baby, but also a patient in an intensive situation.
It is easy for nurses to forget these are babies. They can become just patients when we are so busy doing procedures on them, working with their machines . . . doing all the very technical things we do. It is also very easy for a baby to forget that he or she is a baby when the environment is so light, loud and jarring. When the people dealing with them are not the voices they know in utero, the interactions are not loving or soothing; in fact they are often painful. The touch they feel may be therapeutic but not loving or comforting. The smells are of antiseptic and plastic.
So when a baby is given one of these blankets, it tells the parents someone else cares about their baby. It reminds them that their baby is a baby, not just a patient. It gives them something sweet and baby-like to focus on instead of heart monitors. It relieves some fear; it gives some hope. Many parents are far away from home or have no family that could make a precious memento for their baby like this. I've seen every parent touched by your gifts. When they come in and see a beautiful blanket on their baby's bed they ask right away "Who brought this to my baby?" When I tell them, they smile, they pick it up, and they fondle and look over every loving stitch. Then they find the tag, almost always touch it and always put the blanket back on their baby, covering IV lines and monitor wires and surgical dressings. Now their baby looks like a baby.
The nurses always ooh and aah over these precious blankets as well. Perhaps because the baby looks like a "baby" the nurses forget for a while that the baby is a patient. I see them bend over babies and coo and talk sweetly to them about "what a pretty blanket you have today" or, "you look so pretty in pink" etc. And when we do become the nurse again and have to draw labs on that baby we are very good about talking to the baby as we finish and wrap their very special blanket back about them. Please understand that we try to always treat the babies like babies and not just patients. We are not a bunch of mean old nurses, but your blankets are such visual reminders and they just humanize the whole environment and I feel make us better for it.
As for the babies, they are too small to know that someone with a kind heart and talented hand made them a present. However, they can smell and know this blanket doesn't smell like a hospital. Sooner or later it is taken home and washed and carried back by a parent. It is almost always in their bed so they can constantly smell a little bit of their parent. A little bit of something that is not hospital, a constant bit of security and familiarity. They can see. The patterns, the colors, give them something to focus on, for their eyes to track. They can touch. The textures and warmth become therapy. They explore with their hands, feet and mouths, and because it is with them so much, the familiarity gives security and a little peace in a very stressful environment. Babies are little, but they're not stupid. I can see what things calm and comfort a baby even if they are too sick to open their eyes . . . I can see their heart rate slow down and steady out. I can see the blood pressure come down, their respirations change. So believe me when I tell you the babies need and benefit from your gifts. Some of our babies are here for 6-12 months. When they are that old, they use their blanket as a security blanket. They pull it over their nose when they sleep, they reach and grab for it when they play, and they clutch it when they are stressed.
A few babies, (thank God it's very few) never make it out of the hospital. Some of our babies are so premature when they are born, the parents have not yet bought any baby things. Some are so very sick, the parents never leave their bedside to go buy baby things. And when these babies die, your blankets have the most significance. The mothers of such seriously ill babies will often bath their baby, the only time they've been able to. They will tenderly dry off this tiny body and wrap it so lovingly in the blanket. No tubes, no wires, just a tiny baby in a blanket. The first time their baby actually looks like a baby will be the last time they see their baby. When the nurses take a baby that is dying off of a ventilator, we wrap the baby up in their blanket if they have one and take the baby to a room with the parents where they can hold and rock their baby into God's waiting arms.
During these times it is more important than ever that these babies look like babies and not patients. Your blankets are tenderly tucked about these babies as their pictures are taken. Heartbroken mamas take these blankets home instead of babies. They are often their only keepsake of their very loved but lost child. So please know that your gifts are a blessing in life and in death.
Just the other day a blanket was given to one of my baby patients. The mom was so grateful and wanted to thank the thoughtful and generous person who made it. When I explained about your organization she said she wished that she could thank all of you. So, I thought I'd better say thank you too. This letter is a very important, heartfelt Thank You. Thank you to each and every one of you from the parents, the nurses and especially the babies. You've touched all of our lives and we really wanted you to know.
God Bless, Neva Coffee RN