Nassau Standard

New York State Senator Steve Rhoads and We Care Blankets have announced the success of their month-long yarn and blanket drive for children with cancer. The drive collected 407,277 yards of yarn and 225 handmade blankets, equivalent to 231 miles or over 4,070 football fields of yarn.

Senator Rhoads, motivated by his experience at a wrap night event earlier this year, coordinated the drive across 12 locations in his district. The collected blankets will be wrapped by local volunteers and delivered to hospitals as gifts for children undergoing cancer treatment.

Verity Van Lines provided collection boxes, while various libraries and stores served as collection sites. These included North Bellmore Public Library, Merrick Library, North Merrick Public Library, East Meadow Public Library, Farmingdale Public Library, Bethpage Public Library, Plainview-Old Bethpage Library, Island Trees Public Library, Levittown Public Library, Needlepaint Nook in Merrick, and JOANN Fabric & Crafts in Westbury.

Senator Rhoads expressed gratitude: “When we embarked on this Yarn and Blanket Drive, we were filled with hope but never imagined the overwhelming generosity and support that would come from our community. The outpouring of love and compassion has been truly remarkable. Each skein of yarn and each stitch in a blanket represents a tangible expression of care and empathy.”

We Care Blankets was founded in 1999 to provide handmade blankets to children undergoing chemotherapy. Tamara Baker, Founder of We Care Blankets, said: “I am deeply humbled and eternally grateful for the extraordinary outpouring of compassion and generosity that has been bestowed upon the children in need through the incredible efforts of Senator Rhoads and his constituents... The warmth and comfort that these blankets will provide to countless children will not only shield them from the physical elements but also serve as a constant reminder of the love and care that surrounds them.”