GIFT BLANKETS - YEAR 2
Last year, right before the holidays, I had an idea.
I had been thinking about the people for whom this season is incredibly difficult — the people who feel alone, the ones who are missing someone, the ones who are simply trying to hold things together while the world around them rushes by celebrating. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we should do something simple and tangible.
I shared that idea on Instagram.
And it turned into something much bigger than I ever imagined.
We called them Gift Blankets.
Inspired by one of my kids’ favorite books, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, the heart behind this was simple: giving changes us. It softens us. It draws us together. It reminds people that they are seen.
We don’t make quilts — but we do have blankets.
So we gave them away. For free. No strings attached.
People picked them up and handed them to friends, coworkers, neighbors, and strangers who needed comfort.
And the stories that came back were overwhelming.
People told us about handing blankets to someone recently widowed. To someone sleeping in their car. To someone recovering from loss, illness, heartbreak, or loneliness. These blankets became small reminders that someone cared — and it mattered more than we expected.
We ran out, reordered, ran out again… and still the stories kept coming.
So this year, we’re doing it again.
Free of charge.
No limit on who can receive one.
If you need one — or if you know someone who does — please come get a blanket.
We’re aiming to launch on December 8, the moment our manufacturer confirms they are back in stock.
And if you’re one of the people who helped last year by saying, “I want to buy some blankets to give out,” we would love your help again. If you’re interested in contributing toward purchasing more blankets so we can reach more people this year, reach out to me directly.
As always, my questions for our community remain:
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Do you need a blanket? We will be launching 12/8
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Do you know someone who needs to be reminded that they’re cared about?
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Do you want to help us buy more blankets so we can reach farther this year?
Just email me ( jeff@bearcoastcoffee.com ) — or message me on Instagram — and I’ll respond.
The heart behind all of this is simple:
To connect with one another.
To slow down long enough to notice who might be struggling.
And to give comfort, freely, to the people who need it most.
Thank you for being the kind of community that makes something like this possible.
Here’s to year two of Gift Blankets — and to spreading kindness where it’s needed most.
— Jeff