Hugs in a Blanket is a student organization whose mission is to show love and care to those in our community who are in need by making and donating fleece blankets. Hugs in a Blanket was first created at Taft High School in 2016 by Camille Ng and then was established at Hamilton High School. As of this Fall, Hugs in a Blanket has become a new club at UCLA. Our presence at UCLA will allow us to involve more students in service, spread awareness of those in need to a larger audience, and donate a greater amount of blankets to support more of our community.

The blankets we make are called no-sew fleece blankets. They require three simple steps: matching two pieces of fabric, cutting strips on all four sides, and tying those strips together.

Because they are easy to make, anyone can make a blanket with no experience necessary. With four people working on one blanket, it can take as little as five minutes to complete.  

Why blankets? The simple gesture of giving a blanket has the power to show those in need that they are loved, cared for and never forgotten. One of the best experiences we've had was making and donating 530 blankets to Weigand Elementary School in Watts, an underprivileged area. Our club was able to go to the school in December and personally hand out our blankets to the students for the holidays. We will never forget their huge smiles and the way they hugged themselves with their blankets, as they jumped in excitement. From this experience, we knew that we were making a difference in their lives. 

Blankets not only provide physical warmth, but also a sense of security and comfort. One little girl who had a difficult time falling asleep said the blanket we gave her helped her feel safe in her bed. Another older teenage boy said that his blanket was one of the only things he had to keep himself warm during the night. This inspires us to keep doing what we do.

Since 2016, we have given over 1500 blankets to children and adults. Besides Weigand Elemntary School, we have given blankets to many organizations including UCLA TIES, Children’s Hospital of LA, United in Harmony, and Children’s Hunger Fund. In addition, we have also donated blankets to cancer patients and the homeless elderly overseas.  

Another aspect of the club is to spread awareness of community needs and engage our youth in community service. In January 2018, we involved students from Classical Conversations home school program and a fifth-grade class at Serrania Elementary School who helped us make over 140 blankets in total. By involving youth in our projects, we are able to enhance their social awareness, introduce them to service, and inspire them to become community leaders!

For this holiday season, Hugs in a Blanket is making blankets for sixty veterans living at the William J Pete Knight Veterans Home in Lancaster. These blankets will not only help our veterans stay warm, but also show how much we care for them and appreciate their service. Each individual blanket will be wrapped and will have a handmade thank you card attached. We plan on traveling to Lancaster together as a club to personally give the blankets by the holidays (mid-December). In order to financially support this project, $1200 is needed, with the breakdown as follows:

Because our organization is run at the student level, we do not have a steady source of income to purchase materials for this blanket donation. This is where we really need your help. By contributing to this campaign, you ensure that each veteran at the William J. Pete Knight Home has their very own blanket to stay warm this winter season. Your tax-deductible gift has the power to make a difference in our veterans' lives!

​We are so thankful for any and all support. Just $15 is enough to make one blanket!