ARLINGTON, VA — Shirlington Library is asking Arlington residents to help welcome newly arrived immigrants and refugees to the United States by donating handmade blankets accompanied by personal messages of encouragement.
The library is participating in the Welcome Blanket Project, a national initiative that connects longtime U.S. residents with newcomers through handmade blankets and stories. Donations will be accepted through Jan. 31, 2027.
Each blanket will include a handwritten note from its creator, offering a personal welcome to an immigrant or refugee beginning a new chapter in the United States.
"We are such a diverse community in Arlington, and the Welcome Blanket Project was a perfect fit with our mission to connect and welcome everybody," said Genelle Schuler, manager of Shirlington Library, in a news release Thursday.
The Welcome Blanket Project brings together people from different backgrounds through handmade gifts and personal stories.
One participant shared a message describing their family's experience immigrating to the United States from Italy in 1945.
"My family came to the U.S. from Italy in 1945. No one spoke English. I was the youngest of six children. I was four years old," the participant wrote.
The message described growing up in a one-bedroom New York City tenement with a shared bathroom before going on to receive an education and work around the world.
"Follow your dreams; don't just survive. There are people to help you if you work hard and look to the future," the participant wrote.
Completed blankets collected at Shirlington Library will be shipped to the California-based Welcome Blanket Project headquarters.
From there, the blankets and accompanying notes will be distributed to participating galleries for exhibitions. After the exhibitions conclude, partner organizations will help deliver the blankets and messages to newly arrived immigrants.
Residents interested in participating can create a handmade blanket measuring 40 inches by 40 inches. The library welcomes blankets made using any medium.
Shirlington Library also has welcome note templates available on-site for participants to complete when dropping off their donations.
The donation deadline is Jan. 31, 2027.
For more information about the collection, visit the Arlington Public Library website.
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