Five Reasons to Give a Blanket on Giving Tuesday
Have you ever noticed that the simplest of gifts or gestures can be the most poignant? A cup of coffee between friends, a smile in the grocery store, or a warm blanket on a cold night. It takes so little to share the love of God with others. You can change a life today with the simple gift of a blanket. From comfort to warmth, you might be surprised just how much you can give with so little.
This Giving Tuesday, here are five reasons to give a blanket:
1. Blankets are a Comforting Companion
If you’ve ever seen a two-year-old with their blankie, you know just how special a soft piece of fabric can be. In the darkness, a blankie can make you feel safe. In a strange place, a blankie is familiar. Thousands of children around the world have been forced out of their homes, along with their families. Many are in refugee camps. Most are in strange cities. All need something comforting and familiar. A blanket can soothe frustration, dry tears, and be just what a little boy or girl needs to get them through the night.
2. Blankets are Welcome Warmth
There’s nothing better than snuggling into a warm blanket on a cold night. Sadly, many people of all ages face cold days and nights without warm clothing or bedding. In cold temperatures, hypothermia can set in in as little as thirty minutes, not to mention the possibility of frostbite and other cold-related illnesses. A blanket can help stave off the bitter cold and even save lives.
3. Blankets are a Soft Place To Lay Your Head
There are millions of refugees around the world. Very few, if any, have the luxury of bringing the comforts of home with them. Most families who have to leave their homes due to violence, civil unrest, famine, or other cause bring few, in any possessions with them. They sleep in the clothes they have, wherever they may be. The gift of a blanket could offer a softer place to lay down or even be rolled up into a pillow. Such comforts can often be the difference between hope and despair.
4. Blankets Give the Gift of Dignity
There are few things so precious as human dignity. Most of us aspire to live lives of which we can be proud, knowing we are providing for those who depend on us and making the most of who we are. Given that, it can be devastating to come to terms with reality when we can’t take care of ourselves or others. Many refugees and impoverished families around the world don’t have the resources to provide the most basic of needs for their children, such as keeping them warm and safe. A blanket could help meet some of those needs. By providing warmth and comfort, a blanket can help a parent or other family member preserve a sense of dignity, knowing that at least some of their loved ones’ needs are being met.
5. Blankets are Something to Call Your Own
Most would agree that material possessions are not a reliable gauge of the quality of life. However, when a person loses everything they own due to a natural disaster, a war, or some other cause, the loss of belongings can be overwhelming, particularly for children. “Mine” is one of the first concepts we grasp in early development. For children who have nothing, a blanket to call their own could be worth more than you and I could ever comprehend.
Give a blanket today! Just $10 will provide a family with much-needed warmth and hope.