Spelman senior helps turn fleece into hope for people experiencing homelessness

In a Morehouse College gym, students from across the Atlanta University Center turned pieces of fleece, everyday essentials, and handwritten notes into something meant for people they may never meet.

The service project, called "Wrapped in Hope," brought students together to make no-sew blankets, assemble hygiene and comfort kits, and write messages of encouragement for people experiencing homelessness, including veterans.

For Spelman College senior Genesis Price, the work has become familiar. Price said this was her fifth time participating in a service event with Blankies 4 My Buddies.

"I think just because of that aspect of it being so hands-on, that's what really keeps me coming back," Price said.

Price worked from the gym floor, spreading out fleece before carefully cutting and assembling a blanket.

For her, the impact extends beyond what volunteers can see.

"I don't think they're realizing the lives that they're actually touching," Price said. "You may not do the passing out."

Price said that separation between the volunteer and recipient can make it difficult for students to understand the impact of their work.

"Without seeing that portion, I just don't think that students know how much they're really helping someone out there who is losing hope," she said.

The blankets were only one part of the effort. Volunteers also packed hygiene kits with everyday essentials and wrote notes that would eventually reach people outside the gym.

Chris Matthews, with Blankies 4 My Buddies, said those seemingly small gestures can carry meaning.

"Somebody's gonna read this note," Matthews said. "We got college kids thinking about more than just themselves."

The service also has become a family tradition for the Matthews family.

Blankies 4 My Buddies began in 2013 after then-5-year-old C.J. Matthews and his family experienced a pregnancy loss. The organization says C.J.'s grief inspired an effort to bring comfort to others through blankets and other essential items.

His younger brother, Kollin Matthews, is now taking part in that work.

"My brother, I have to fill my brother's shoes," Kollin said. "And I just want to continue."

For Price, the process ended where it began with a blanket in her hands. This time, it was finished and ready to leave the gym.

"They're going to have something that someone made with love around them, the love that we have for them, even if we've never met them," Price said.

Once the blankets are completed, Price said volunteers fold them and place them on a table to be distributed.

They may never know exactly who receives them.

But for Price, knowing someone will is enough. For more details about Blankies 4 My Buddies, click here.