The Blanket Box Project – Created by Youth, Fueled by Heart

The Blanket Box Project is a powerful youth-led initiative founded by 17-year-old CJ Matthews, a 2022 Prudential Emerging Visionary and Giving Tuesday Spark Leader. CJ turned personal tragedy into purpose after the heartbreaking loss of his baby sister. At just five years old, he began donating blankets to people facing illness, homelessness, grief, and trauma—offering a tangible reminder that they are not alone.

Since then, CJ and his younger brother Kollin—affectionately known as “The Good Brothers”—have helped their family’s nonprofit, Blankies 4 My Buddies Foundation, donate over 30,000 blankets to children, adults, and families across the country. Their mission is simple but powerful: MAKE CHANGE in the world, one blanket at a time.

The Blanket Box Project empowers young people to become changemakers through hands-on service that brings healing to others while nurturing empathy, emotional wellness, and a lifestyle of giving.

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Your Donation Supports:
1. Making Change Blanket Workshops
Interactive workshops where kids, teens, and families gather to create no-sew blankets while learning about compassion, mental health, and the joy of giving back.

2. Community Blanket Boxes
Decorated wooden chests installed in hospitals, schools, fire stations, police departments, churches, and shelters—kept filled with free blankets that anyone in need can take to find comfort and warmth.

3. #GiveLikeCJ Blanket Kits
Portable blanket-making kits sent to schools, hospital family rooms, youth groups, grief programs, and shelters—designed to help communities come together during tough times and make a tangible impact.