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Samuel’s Blankets for the Homeless holds special Birthday Blanket Drive

Posted at 5:58 PM, Feb 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-04 17:58:38-05

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Most 13 year-old boys want video games and comic books for their birthday. Samuel Verhage, who started Samuel’s Blankets for the Homeless in 2014, now aims to collect 270 blankets by his big day in a special Birthday Blanket Drive.

With 3 weeks until he turns 13, the goal seems impressive, but nothing the young man can’t handle. His original goal for the first drive was only 200 blankets. He ended up with over 300. When FOX 17 caught up with him at the beginning of winter 2018,he collected over 2,000 blankets.

Blankets that clearly went to good use last week.

The challenges of staying warm are all too real for Michigan’s homeless population. During the recent polar vortex many community buildings, churches, and even libraries opened their doors to anyone without a proper shelter during the dangerously low temperatures.

Manufactures, schools, and local businesses closed their doors to prevent students and employees from being subjected to the treacherous temperatures.

Samuel and his family placed 7 drop boxes at locations around Kalamazoo to collect donations of new and lightly used blankets and ask anyone with questions to contact them by email at SamuelsBlankets@gmail.com.