Our Story
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Chris "CJ" Matthews, Global Youth Activist donated over 2,000 items of cold-weather gear to children and families in need for Giving Tuesday 2020.
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Kollin Matthews, Giving Tuesday Spark leader donated over 2,000 pairs of socks to children in need for Giving Tuesday 2022.
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Blankies 4 My Buddies’ inspiring story begins with Chris “C.J.” Matthews, who wanted to make a difference when his family experienced a pregnancy loss when he was only five years old. His own grief sparked an idea to create a project to support other kids who might be dealing with similar feelings of sadness. CJ told his mom he never wanted another kid to feel sad and lonely like he did, and Blankies 4 My Buddies was born.
Since then, this small project has grown into an organization that brings small tokens of comfort, like cozy blankets, socks, books, etc., to children dealing with traumatic situations, from grief and loss to chronic illnesses and homelessness.
Now 17, C.J. is an ambitious young man and author who plans to build a social enterprise that will benefit kids in need worldwide. Only now, he's a big brother and Kollin Matthews, 8 years old is right by his side. The duo and their family are working on a variety of projects including developing a line of blankets; for every blanket purchased, one will be donated.
C.J. also recently created The Blanket Box Project to inspire other kids and teens to use their own hands to create a blanket to comfort others in need. His award-winning project idea earned him a place in the inaugural class of 25 young changemakers in the 2022 Prudential Emerging Visionaries. This project also received recognition from Guppy Tank Kids and Riley’s Way Foundation’s “Call For Kindness.” In 2023, C.J. returns to Riley's Way as a Continuation Grant fellow to execute his 2023 project, a huge "Making Change Blanket Workshop."
Since then, this small project has grown into an organization that brings small tokens of comfort, like cozy blankets, socks, books, etc., to children dealing with traumatic situations, from grief and loss to chronic illnesses and homelessness.
Now 17, C.J. is an ambitious young man and author who plans to build a social enterprise that will benefit kids in need worldwide. Only now, he's a big brother and Kollin Matthews, 8 years old is right by his side. The duo and their family are working on a variety of projects including developing a line of blankets; for every blanket purchased, one will be donated.
C.J. also recently created The Blanket Box Project to inspire other kids and teens to use their own hands to create a blanket to comfort others in need. His award-winning project idea earned him a place in the inaugural class of 25 young changemakers in the 2022 Prudential Emerging Visionaries. This project also received recognition from Guppy Tank Kids and Riley’s Way Foundation’s “Call For Kindness.” In 2023, C.J. returns to Riley's Way as a Continuation Grant fellow to execute his 2023 project, a huge "Making Change Blanket Workshop."
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide an extra dose of comfort to kids who need it. Whether we’re collecting blankets, books, or food, we strive to empower kids and their families who are dealing with difficult situations like illness, loss, grief, food insecurity, and homelessness. We initiate projects we believe will make their load lighter.
What We Do
Blankies 4 My Buddies is dedicated to turning compassion into action. Through our innovative programs and partnerships, we empower communities with opportunities to serve, fostering a spirit of kindness and connection. Whether delivering blankets to children in need, offering storytime to inspire resilience, or engaging families in meaningful acts of service, Blankies 4 My Buddies creates moments of hope and comfort that make a lasting impact. Together, we build stronger communities by showing that even the smallest acts of care can change lives.
We also provide thoughtfully crafted books and products designed to heal, inspire, and comfort children and families navigating difficult circumstances.
We also provide thoughtfully crafted books and products designed to heal, inspire, and comfort children and families navigating difficult circumstances.
Children receiving B4MB care packages
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CJ and his brother Kollin deliver blankets
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Collecting food donations
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