Our History
Project Linus is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization started in December 1995 by Karen Loucks in Parker, Colorado. Karen read an article in Parade magazine about a little girl who was comforted by a blanket as she underwent chemotherapy. Having recently learned to crochet, Karen began supplying blankets to the Rocky Mountain Children's Cancer Center. As she told her friends about her self-appointed task, they offered to help. Over time and assorted growing pains, Project Linus grew into a national organization with an estimated 50,000 volunteers in 300+ chapters across the U.S., donating over 7,780,000 lovingly-made blankets nationwide.
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In January 2004, while shopping at Austin Sewing & Quilting (then named Austin Sew-n-Vac) in Round Rock, Diane Whitehouse spotted a brochure from Janome of America promoting the 2004 Project Linus Make-A-Blanket Day (MABD). Her immediate reaction was "I'd like to continue helping children year-round, not just once a year." What better way to make a difference then to give a child a BLANKET FULL Of HUGS? She found Project Linus's national website listed in the brochure looking for the nearest chapter. Finding none in the area, she considered her options, decided to apply for chapter status, and was approved on April 12, 2004.
Later, Jean Bishop offered to become her assistant. Since then, Jean's crocheting expertise has helped educate others interested in making afghans. Jean developed monthly blanket-making sessions in south Austin that grew into the (current) South Group.
In January 2010, Diane retired and moved away. Wanting to continue the good work of donating blankets to children, Anita Howe, a blanketeer with the South group, stepped up. Anita stepped down as Coordinator in January 2013 and Brenda Kilburn took on the position. Jean Bishop is the South meeting coordinator, Mary Knauer initially organized the Bastrop County efforts, and in 2018, Helen Taylor has volunteered to continue that work.
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In June 2015, Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Park kindly allowed us to restart a North group in their Outreach Center after losing the Round Rock group's meeting place. Shawn Yeatman is that group's leader.