Community Corner
NSSC Volunteers Share the Warmth: A Connecting Thread
Volunteers produce nearly 1,000 blankets every year for people in need including hundreds of children in over 20 different hospitals
When Fay Goldblatt and Carol Hirsch started coming to North Shore Senior Center (NSSC), they did not want to limit their activities to playing cards and sipping coffee with others.
“I knew I wanted to do something generative, so I started in the knitting group,” Carol explained. “Then I learned about Share the Warmth, and I’ve been here ever since, which is now more than 15 years !”
NOTE: This story originally appeared in North Shore Senior Center’s Engage Magazine and Lifelong Learning Catalog (January-April 2025) written by Desis Schippers.
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https://www.nssc.org/assets/uploads/2024/12/NSSC_2025_WinterMagazine_Final_web_103124.pdf
The group, which gathers every Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Fiber Arts Studio, produces nearly 1,000 blankets every year for people in need. Made from fleece and crocheted yarn, the blankets comfort chemotherapy patients at University of Chicago, and hundreds of children in over 20 different hospitals and trauma centers through the Linus Project.
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“It’s very rewarding.” Fay said. “The nurses are always so appreciative and take time to organize and give them out based on a child’s interests and personality. We make blankets with sports, superhero, and other fun patterns. Even if we are working with plain black fleece, we find a way to make it look fun, by sewing on a pattern.”
Close Knit Group
“I always leave here with a smile. Nobody discusses how old they are or gripes about life. We just enjoy each other’s company in the moment,” Fay said.
The group, which has anywhere from 5 to 20 participants on a given day, spans ages and origins, with members from across the world.
“It’s nice to be in such a diverse group,” member Jatinder Grover explained. “We share recipes, books, and stories. All human beings are the same. The same love, same difficulties, and same emotions.”
Waste Knot Want Knot
Share the Warmth runs completely off donated funds, fleece, and yarn. Just five yards of fleece can make up to four blankets for children in need. The group also repurposes tied fleece blankets that hospitals aren’t allowed to accept by cutting the knots and crocheting around the edges, making them safer for small children.
“Nothing is wasted in this group. We take any scraps of fleece and use them to stuff pet pillows, which are then donated to local animal shelters. We use any extra yarn to make warm hats and scarves for migrant and homeless shelters,” Fay said. “We are only limited by how much material we have. We are enthusiastic about our work, and many of us take projects home and work on them in the evenings.”
“I love to use my time making people feel better,” Carol said. “We are happy to teach newcomers how to crochet. It’s a great community to join here at NSSC!”
Donations of fabric and money to support Share the Warmth can be given to the Lifelong Learning department. Contact them at 847.784.6030 or lifelonglearning@nssc.org to learn more.
About North Shore Senior Center
Headquartered in Northfield, NSSC is a nationally accredited 501(c)(3) organization that serves older adults from the most independent to those needing more support. NSSC engages more than 24,000 older adults and their families each year throughout Chicago’s northern suburbs.
NSSC offers a wide array of social services, specialized care for people living with dementia, therapy and counseling, personal money management services, educational and wellness programs, and volunteer opportunities. It is located at 161 Northfield Road, Northfield, IL. Visit www.nssc.org
