 We are celebrating! As we opened the workshop on Friday, December 6, our blanket count was 19,869, SO close to our 20,000 goal. We were excited to see several blanket angels arrive with donations, and the total started to climb as they pushed the blue blanket counter button. Closer and closer, until the last donation of 21 blankets brought the total to 20,002! Share the moment below. Many, many thanks to all of our supporters, all over Ohio and in 16 other states, for your faithful efforts that allowed us to reach this ambitious goal. We are blessed by your support. 
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 My Very Own Blanket has been selected for the 2019 Best of Westerville Award in the Non-Profit Organization category by the Westerville Award Program.
Each year, the Westerville Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Westerville area a great place to live, work and play. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2019 Westerville Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Westerville Award Program and data provided by third parties.  Lori from Montgomery County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) picking up a large bag of blankets for children in foster care. We usually don’t learn directly about the effect of the blankets we give to children in foster care. Today is different. Lori, a Volunteer Coordinator from Montgomery County CASA*, picked up a bag of 100 blankets this morning to replenish their supply. She shared this with us: “We frequently ask the children we represent if there is anything that we can provide for them, if there is anything they need. Over and over, they tell us: their own blanket. It stays with them if they move, it isn't borrowed, it isn't used, it doesn't belong to their foster parents. It truly is something of their very own.” Each blanket you make matters. Lori was very grateful to receive them. So many children are entering foster care that CASA struggles to provide a blanket for each of them. Thank you for providing love and comfort to children in foster care.
*CASAs are Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers who make a life-changing difference for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Each volunteer is appointed by a judge to advocate for a child’s best interest in court. Our volunteers help judges develop a fuller picture of each child’s life. Their advocacy enables judges to make the most well-informed decision for each child. www.casaforchildren.org Last Spring, Tina Green and her colleague Shelly, Montgomery County WWK (Wendy’s Wonderful Kids) recruiters, visited our Blanket Workshop to pick out some of the larger blankets for the youth in foster care attending Camp Joy, the WWK summer camp for young people aged 12 - 17. (Original story: https://www.myveryownblanket.org/news/archives/04-2019) Tina recently sent us this email that we want to share with you: Here are some photos of our youth enjoying the blankets during movie night! We took pictures of our youth with the blankets they received. They loved them so much and slept with them at night. Nationwide employees in 5 states make blankets together
Thirty-four people from Nationwide’s Property & Casualty Compliance team in five locations in Des Moines, Iowa; Scottsdale, Arizona; Brea, California; and San Antonio, Texas participated in this year’s Day of Caring.
After the Day of Caring was over, we were glad to hear and receive the photos above from Nationwide's Gretchen Collins, one of the day's organizers: "Each year the Nationwide team works to coordinate volunteer experiences for each location. It’s hard to coordinate across multiple locations, but your process made it very easy. From blanket pickup, instruction sheets, cutting templates, and name tags, this was a smooth experience. Thank you for caring for some of the most vulnerable in our society!" Many thanks to the Nationwide team for providing handmade blankets for children in foster care in Iowa, Arizona, California and Texas. We are thrilled that, through an expanding network of volunteers, My Very Own Blanket can help provide love and comfort to children in foster care in places far from Central Ohio! Blanket angel creates 26 blankets during hospital wait
Donna, pictured below, made 26 blankets while staying with her husband in the hospital after a stroke. He was hospitalized for a month. Her daughter, Mary, donated the blankets to Warren County Children Services. They hope to make more as a family in the future!
Seniors donate 45 blankets
Residents of the Pines at Glenwood tied 45 blankets for National Assisted Living Week to be donated to My Very Own Blanket, which donates the blankets to children in foster care.
The residents' goal next time is 60 blankets! #GlenwoodFamily #AbundantAging Thank you to these blanket angels!
MVOB Featured on the CityPulse Columbus Website
 Volunteers from Columbus Young Professionals Club make blankets at High Bank Distillery at a recent Blankets & Brew event.
We were honored recently to be the Charity Spotlight on the local website, CityPulse Columbus: Your Guide to Columbus.
The article about MVOB was written by Jonathan Edwards. Read it here Learn about Blankets & Brew
MVOB to Participate in IMPACT Columbus October 17 Event
Join My Very Own Blanket in participating in the 2019 IMPACT Columbus event on October 17. IMPACT Columbus focuses on celebrating servant leadership in action. The purpose of this event is to inspire attendees with a local speaker who exemplifies servant leadership through their work, business, service and/or community impact. This year’s local speaker is Sandy Doyle-Ahern, President at EMH&T, as she engages with attendees in an interview-style keynote as well as an interactive panel including IMPACT Columbus’ Chair Jamie Richardson and Co-Chair, Michael Corey. Sandy, Jamie and Michael will explore ways that business, nonprofits and government can leverage their strengths to lift the Columbus community! WHEN: Thursday, October 17, 2019 TIME: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. WHERE: The Exchange at Bridge Park 6520 Riverside Drive | Dublin, Ohio 43017 Learn more and register to attend The Blanket You Made Could Reach a Foster Child in a My Stuff Bag
We want to share with you a letter we received recently from Janeen Holmes, President/CEO of My Stuff Bags Foundation. We send some of the blankets you make to My Stuff Bags. They include a blanket in each bag that they provide to children in crisis.
Dear Jessica, Thank you for your compassion and concern for children in crisis. Your wonderful contribution of blankets will have an immediate impact on the lives of abused, neglected and abandoned children entering crisis shelters and foster care with no belongings and little hope. My Stuff Bags send a profound message to hurting children—people care. Through the generosity of donors like you, providing childhood essentials and necessary funding, My Stuff Bags Foundation can genuinely say each bag is made with many loving hands. Together, when we provide a new blanket, stuffed animal and toiletry kit, along with fun toys, books and other great stuff, we can show a sad child in transition that they deserve the dignity of new possessions. We can restore their self-esteem and demonstrate that they are indeed part of a warm, loving family, the My Stuff Bags family. We are very thankful that you have chosen to join us in our mission to reach out to children who so desperately need to know that others care. My Stuff Bags are a “lifeline” that lets them know they have not been forgotten. And we in turn will not forget your generosity and kindness. With gratitude, Janeen Holmes President/CEO |
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My Very Own Blanket is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Tax ID 90-0198206