Do you sew, quilt, knit, or crochet? Would you like to help welcome and warm your new neighbors? Help ValleyCAST support two AMAZING initiatives! Dust off your needles and get started now!

What began as one blanket that Los Angeles based artist Jayna Zweiman handmade in 2017 to welcome a refugee family into the United States spawned into a national project called Welcome Blanket. Through Welcome Blanket, makers are encouraged to hand-make blankets that are then displayed in numerous exhibits across the country to help raise awareness and inspire participation. These blankets then go on to be gifted to newly incoming refugees.

“Welcome Blanket reminds us of the similarities that people across diverse backgrounds and cultures share and is a celebration of the diversity that is woven into our nation.” 

-Jayna Zweiman, founder of Welcome Blanket.

ValleyCAST, the arts and culture arm of Open Sky Community Services, will collect the handmade donated blankets up to and during the week of October 20, 2025. See blanket guidelines below. The blankets will be displayed in the Heritage Gallery during November & December. There will be a wine and cheese opening reception to view the blankets on Thursday, November 6, 2025, from 5:00-7:30 pm. Blankets will then be gifted at the end of December to the Worcester Refugee Assistance Project (WRAP). 

Plan to also attend an exclusive presentation and Q&A with Jayna Zweiman, founder of the Welcome Blanket Project, and Adeline Atamer, board member and Director of Communications for the Worcester Refugee Assistance Project (WRAP) immediately following the opening reception next door to the Gallery in the Singh Performance Center. The reception and presentation are both free, and the public is encouraged to attend.

Everyone is welcome to craft a Welcome Blanket. Sew, knit, crochet, weave, etc., as long as it’s handmade with love! The design guidelines are 40” x 40”, easy to launder and care for, and hard to give away … it should hurt a little bit because you love it so much! With your Welcome Blanket, include a Welcome Note that tells a story important to your own family about immigration, migration, or relocation, along with some words of welcome for the recipient of your Welcome Blanket gift. Welcome Note Templates can be found online at: welcomeblanket.org/welcomenote. Please also include your name (anonymous is ok!), your city and state, and blanket care instructions. 

Bring or mail your Welcome Blanket gift to the Heritage Gallery at the Alternatives’ Whitin Mill, 50 Douglas Road, Whitinsville, MA 01588 to the attention of Cristi Collari on or before October 24, 2025. If you have any questions, you can reach out to [email protected] or call the front desk at 508-234-6232.

ValleyCAST fosters a creative and engaged community in the Historic Blackstone Valley that is inclusive and supportive of all people with and without disabilities. ValleyCAST is the arts and culture arm of Open Sky Community Services and together we believe in the power of community.

Open Sky supports individuals facing complex challenges in Central Mass to achieve their definition of wellness and pursue the opportunities and relationships that are meaningful to them. We help them see beyond what they thought was possible to find their open sky. 

To learn more about ValleyCAST and Open Sky visit: openskycs.org