Tag: nonprofits

Posted in News and Features

Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County Provides Comfort to Kids in Need

Posted on by Amanda

Project Linus is a nonprofit organization that provides handmade blankets to children in need. The blankets provide comfort and security to kids experiencing trauma, illness, or crisis. Currently, there are 300 chapters throughout the U.S., including one locally, Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County. Nationally, the organization has delivered over 10 million blankets to children in need since it started in 1995 in California.

The local chapter was formed in 2023, by Karen Favello. At that time, Karen was volunteering for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, and learned about Project Linus online when a Facebook post about the organization caught her attention.

“I had never heard of it and thought, ‘wouldn’t it be cool if for every bed that Sleep in Heavenly Peace delivered they would also have a handmade blanket to give to the child as well,’” she recalls. 

Each month Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County holds a Make a Blanket event at Scenic Regional Library – Union Branch. Volunteers make as many blankets at they can during this two hour event. Photo via Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County on Facebook.

By the Numbers

So far, Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County has been able to deliver almost 1,200 blankets in the area. The blankets have been delivered to area organizations like Sleep in Heavenly Peace, House of Hope, and to local Angel Trees during the holiday season. 

In addition to being delivered to other area nonprofits, the individually bagged blankets are also delivered to first responder locations so first responders can give the blanket to kids in times of stress or crisis, such as after a car accident, to help provide a bit of comfort. 

“It’s been inspiring to watch it grow and help kids in the community,” she shares. 

A stack of fabric or quilted style blankets that will be delivered to children in need. Photo via Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County on Facebook.

The organization is completely volunteer-driven and since more hands mean more blankets can be provided for children, there have been group efforts to make blankets. From St. Clair High School students making blankets in their Family and Consumer Sciences class, to the monthly Make a Blanket event at Scenic Regional Library – Union Branch, as well as finding support from local businesses like DeAnn’s Dazzling Designs in St. Clair, where volunteers made crochet Granny squares for a blanket. 

“People want to feel like they can do a little something to make a difference,” Karen says of people’s willingness to help.

Volunteers of All Skill Levels Are Welcome

There are a few types of blankets that volunteers can make for kids, the most popular and beginner friendly style are the “fleece tie” type, which consists of cutting strips at the edges of a fleece blanket and tying, but crocheted and blankets that are quilted or made from fabric are also welcome.

There are also volunteer opportunities to help with making labels for the blankets as well as other behind the scenes duties. And, some volunteer blanket-makers have been found in what might seem an unlikely place, a local correctional facility.

After watching a documentary on Netflix called “The Quilters” about men in South Central Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison in Licking, Missouri, who make quilts for children in foster care, Karen was inspired to reach out to the warden at Missouri Eastern Correctional in Pacific to gauge interest about setting up a similar program, and so far, it’s a success. 

“The men have been respectful and very involved and interested in helping kids and learning new techniques,” Karen shares.

Drop Box Locations

People are also welcome to make and donate new blankets and deliver them at drop boxes located at businesses throughout Franklin County. A complete list of drop boxes can be found online, as well as a brief listing below –

Washington: Yarn Together, Andy’s Produce, and Washington Library. 

New Haven: Lang-a-Tang Cafe, Golden View Farm, and Save A Lot.

Union: Andy’s Produce Too, Cotton’s Ace Hardware, and Union Community Center. 

St Clair: Farmers and Merchants Bank, R&R Ace, and DeAnn’s Dazzling Designs.

Sullivan: Devine Quilts, Fabrics, & Hobbies and Petals & Plants.

Blanket drop boxes are located at businesses throughout the area. Photo via Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County on Facebook.

If you’d like to volunteer with Project Linus of Franklin and Crawford County, you can RSVP to attend a blanket making session, held the fourth Saturday of each month at Scenic Regional Library – Union Branch. The next Make a Blanket event at the library is on Saturday, March 28 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. You can also find out more about the organization by visiting its website, or following the nonprofit on Facebook. 

Posted in News and Features

Meet the Women Providing Meals for the Community Through the Nonprofit Feeding on Faith

Posted on by Amanda

A couple of years ago, friends Mary Stevens and Judy Mattox felt called to make meals for people in need. At first they organized a small group that served meals at their shared church, and while that was a successful effort, they both felt led to do more, but in order to do that they’d need to take a couple leaps of faith, like registering as a nonprofit, finding a kitchen where they could prep and cook meals, and raise funds.

Feeding on Faith has been official since November of 2024, after everything was finalized – from becoming a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, to meeting health department requirements, to finding a kitchen and place to serve meals, all of which took about six months. 

Things really started to pick up for the organization once they were able to begin organizing community meals served at the Marylou Community Building in Truesdale, located in Warren County, which started this past summer and is still going strong.

Mary, left, and Judy, right, are the duo behind the nonprofit Feeding on Faith. Photo credit: Feeding on Faith via Facebook.

The meals they’ve served have changed along with the seasons, over the summer the ladies served items like “walking tacos” for lunch at the concession pavilion located outside of the Marylou Community Building. During that time, they fed a lot of kids since school wasn’t in session, as well as some single adults, retirees, and families.

Mary and Judy say they still see “a pretty good mix of people” at each community meal, with many return attendees.

“We see a lot of families and we hear the same thing each time: ‘you don’t know how much this helps,'” Mary shares.

And since the women both feel like creating this nonprofit was a calling from God, it’s important that the help they provide often looks like the kind of comforting meal you’d get if you were invited to a friend’s house for dinner.

Casserole meals are popular dishes, but the ladies have also made hearty meals like scalloped potatoes and ham, soups and chili, as well as sandwiches and chips, and chili dogs. Although both ladies love to cook for others, Judy is the baker of the two, so every meal also includes a dessert of some sort.

Although they’re a fairly new organization, they’ve made a significant impact for those in need. So far, they’ve served over 900 meals to the community, helping to feed people at the community meal events as well as providing meals to nearby shelters.

“We really wanted to serve 2,000 meals last year, but in the beginning we had some delays with renting a kitchen,” Mary explains.

In addition to feeding people at the every other Monday community meals, some of the shelters and other groups they’ve provided meals for include a domestic abuse shelter and they’ve helped make lasagnas for the Lincoln County chapter of the nation-wide meal train program called Lasagna Love.

Having access to the space inside Marylou Community Building once every other week means they have a place to keep their supplies, a requirement per the health department, but also it means they’re able to preserve any leftovers and purchase more perishable ingredients in advance.

“We were able to buy a freezer, so now we can buy things when they’re on sale,” Judy says.

The ladies make all the meals that they serve to the community. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

As a nonprofit they rely on donations and volunteers, and whenever they’re able to make ingredients and funds stretch, the more people they’re able to help. Mary shares that since they’re such a new organization, a lot of volunteers at Feeding on Faith have been friends and family, although they also welcomed a Girl Scout Troop to help serve a community meal last year.

And there’s also been support from individuals and organizations in the community, including Cuivre River Electric, Long Row Lavender Farm, Woodbridge Corp., Sam’s Club in Wentzville, and many more. Without those donations – of both funds and supplies – the nonprofit wouldn’t have been able to make such a profound impact.

Planning for the future

Both Judy and Mary see Feeding on Faith expanding to help even more people.

“Judy wants a food truck,” Judy says with a laugh.

The women hope to grow the nonprofit by purchasing a food truck or food trailer so they can be mobile to meet, and feed, people where they’re at.

“That’s this year’s partial goal,” Mary adds.

Mary also envisions having a bigger space that’s all their own, so they can have premade, frozen meals ready to help people whenever they need it.

“We’re very grateful to be able to use this space, but unfortunately we don’t have access to it all the time,” Mary shares of the Marylou Community Building. “I’d love to make up individual meals in advance and put them in the freezer at our own place so that if someone reaches out and needs a meal for that day, we can easily help.”

Mary and Judy work together to make multiple lasagnas in an assembly style at the Marylou Community Building in Truesdale. In January 2026, the Feeding on Faith community meal was lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and dessert. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

The next community meal served at the Marylou Community Building in Truesdale is on Monday, Feb. 2, from 5-6:30 p.m. If you’d like to learn more about Feeding on Faith, you can follow the organization on Facebook, or visit its website.

Note: This article is part of a series highlighting volunteer groups, individuals who give back to area causes, and people who are building community, such as the piece I wrote on The Homemade Exchange. If you know someone making a positive impact in or around the Franklin County area, email me at smalltownsocialitemo@gmail.com and I may feature them on the website.