October 2023 News

Will you make a blanket for the project? Last December 21st, Homeless Remembrance Blanket Project covered the US Capitol lawn with your hand-made blankets to bring attention to the plight of the unhoused. The shortest and typically one of the coldest days of the year serves as a fitting reminder of the challenges the unhoused face, so it has officially become known as Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. This year, we again need your crafted items to cover a somewhat smaller but no less important area, the Pennsylvania State House in Harrisburg. Despite the focused location of this year's event, we are still looking for your hand-crafted work to display no matter from what part of the country you hail. We could also use your help in getting the word out to craft stores, quilting bees, or knitting klatches. Send us a mailing address, and we'll send you as many of the cards, featured in the picture below, to hand out as you are willing to share. If you need help shipping one of your beautiful blanket creations out to this year's project, we want to know that too. Use the link below the picture to request your cards or contact our official representative with questions today!

Molly Pitcher Brewing Company has become a great venue for Homeless Remembrance Blanket Project events due to hospitality that is second to none. In addition to displaying the 4 x 8 foot paint-by-numbers project from the Carlisle SummerFair, the company has hosted wicked fun evenings for knitting and crochet, welcoming seasoned crafts persons and newcomers alike. Doing nice things for people experiencing homelessness is more fun than you might have guessed. Join us at one of our group blanket sessions or send us pictures of what you're doing on your own. You can also invite us to your group using the email link below! We love to crash other people's parties. #memorialblanket

If you know anything about our good friends at Hear Us, you know that they take practical action for the unhoused very seriously. Their early publication, The Charlie Book, provided readers with 60 ways to help unhoused children. Now, they are embarking on an exciting new project. The core team of photographer and editor Diane Nilan is still paired with author Diane Bowman. but added to the mix for this project are 3 Melissas!

What do you call a book featuring 2 Dianes and 3 Melissas? The working title, though it may be be adjusted, is currently The Melissas’ Guide to Surviving Family Homelessness. The title was chosen because Diane Nilan met 3 Melissas early in her travels and has maintained contact with them. This book will guide parents experiencing homelessness, offering firsthand advice that may help others in similar conditions to focus on the safety and well-being of their children. It will also inform those who work with homeless families (homeless liaisons, school staff, agency workers, etc.) to better understand challenges families encounter in a variety of homeless situations. It will also be useful for the public interested in this topic.

Stay tuned for more information.