Handmade shawls and lap blankets donated by the community are very comforting to patients at North Oaks.

If you can knit or crochet a simple pattern, you can bring warmth and comfort to North Oaks patients facing serious health challenges.

North Oaks welcomes handmade shawls and lap blankets that have been knit or crocheted and donated by members of the community. Our Common Thread needle arts group then dedicates each one and gifts them to patients. These soft, colorful shawls give comfort to our patients year-round.

As a volunteer, you can make one shawl or several, at your own pace. We have some pattern options available for download below. However, we welcome variety and you may use an alternate pattern. We will need comfort shawls of various sizes.

When creating your comfort shawl, please use yarn that is soft and washable. Some yarn brands that meet these criteria include: Lion Brand, Red Heart, Bernat and Loops & Threads. The cost for materials is estimated to be between $20-30. Watch our local craft stores for sales and coupons on yarn!

In addition to comfort shawls for our adult patients, the North Oaks Labor and Delivery unit is in need of small, soft handmade blankets for our smallest patients – our premature babies. The sizes needed are:

• 18"x18"
• 22"x22"
• 26"x26"
• 28-30"x28-30"

Baby blankets made of soft, machine washable yarn in light or pastel colors is best.

As you craft your comfort shawl or baby blanket, think of the person that will eventually receive it and the gift of comfort you are providing. You may even choose to name your shawl. Once you have completed your project, please machine wash and dry it (by itself) to remove any potential allergens. Place in a plastic bag with a note containing your first and last name, physical and/or email address, and the name of your shawl (if appropriate). Completed comfort shawls and lap blankets can be delivered to:

North Oaks Volunteer Services Department15790 Paul Vega MD Drive
Hammond, LA 70404.

As we collect comfort shawls from volunteers, we will affix a Common Threads label and a note of comfort to accompany the gift to the patient. Patients will select their comfort shawl from a book describing the available shawls; each description will include a photograph of the shawl, the name of the shawl, measurements and thickness, and the first name of the person who crafted the comfort shawl.

We thank you for your donations of time and talent to this project.

For more information, contact:

Staci Arceneaux
Director, Volunteer Services
(985) 230-6674
arceneauxst@northoaks.org

Tracy Randazzo
VP, Strategy/Outreach
(985) 230-6080
randazzot@northoaks.org

Physical Address for North Oaks Volunteer Services:

15790 Paul Vega MD Drive
Hammond, LA 70403

Enter the main entrance of the Medical Center and follow the hallway to your left. You’ll find the volunteer services office across from the gift shop.

Mailing address for completed shawls:

North Oaks Volunteer Services
P.O. Box 2668
Hammond, LA 70404

Pattern Downloads:

Comfort Shawl 1
Comfort Shawl 2