Students and staff at Most Holy Rosary helped to spread some love and warmth to those in need Nov. 26, partnering with the organization Blankets of Hope to donate 120 blankets to Syracuse-area shelters.
The school-wide project was spearheaded by fourth grade teacher Becca Icker, who first learned about Blankets of Hope from a fellow teacher on the social media platform Instagram. The Blankets of Hope model is simple: A school contacts the organization and is sent blankets free of charge. Students watch short videos to learn about the initiative and its impact. Then they write a note, affix it to a blanket, and donate the bundles to a local shelter for those experiencing homelessness. Blankets of Hope, founded by brothers Mike and Nick Fiorito in New York City in 2016, and has partnered with 76 schools across the country to distribute more than 11,000 blankets to date, according to its website. The organization aims to distribute 1 million blankets by 2025.
At MHR, Icker and her students worked together to create a touching letter to be included with the blankets: “I hope this blanket puts a smile on your face and keeps you warm. Many people care about you and you matter in this world. You are not invisible like you might think. We are praying for you and hope you can get back on your feet. We believe in you!”
Blankets were to be distributed to the Rescue Mission, Vera House, the Salvation Army’s Booth House, and In My Father’s Kitchen.
Below students at Most Holy Rosary School in Syracuse write letters (above) and bundle blankets (below) bound for area homeless shelters. See more photos and video at thecatholicsun.com. (Sun photos | Chuck Wainwright)
