Moore County 4H sending Texas love to Missouri with donated baby blankets

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Last Updated on July 17, 2015 – 11:43 AM CDT

Moore County 4H is collecting baby blankets and throws for newborns who have to spend time in the neonatal intensive care units. Their families are often away from home and don’t have access to their own things that would provide comfort during the hospital stay.

“A new blanket can give the feeling of home and comfort to a new NICU family,” Tara Jarvis wrote on her blog, www.faithhopeandmommyhood.blogspot.com. Jarvis started the Grace Blanket Drive, after her daughter, Piper, spent a good deal of time in the NICU in Kansas City, Missouri, and then later passed away. “Spending so much time in the NICU has allowed us to observe many needs that others may not think of when donating to a hospital. Donating a blanket not only reaches one family, one baby … donating a blanket means adding to the NICU’s linen closet supply. This supply blankets over 75 beds per night with clean lines; and why not add a touch of warmth to these beds!”

Anyone wishing to donate a blanket or throw can take items to the Moore County Extension Office at 310 E. 1st Street in Dumas. You can also call the office at 806-935-2594 if you would like someone to pick up the blankets and throws. The Extension Office needs the donations by July 30.

What Is Needed

  • New baby blankets of all types, colors and prints. Have some fun and use your creative gifts. Nurses love a fun, spiffy new blankie!
  • Sew your own. It takes only about a square yard of fabric, and flannel and cotton hold up well to industrial washing.
  • Any medium-sized baby blanket or throw
  • Cotton or flannel receiving blankets
  • Crib sheets and fitted sheets
  • Hospital Rules — To ensure the safety of patients, please donate new blankets with tags in place.
  • Fleece Tie Blankets don’t hold up well to all the hospital washing. We will accept these donations, but they’ll be used as gifts for NICU families and babies to take home. They will not stay in the hospital linen rotation due to the short laundry-life span.

The blankets Moore County 4H collects will be sent to Kansas City to be used at Children’s Mercy Hospital where Piper was in the NICU.

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