The Office of Student Community Service is collecting new blankets for children as part of its annual collaboration with the One Stop Community Christmas Program.

The program works in a collective effort with other organizations to help out families in need from seven counties during the holidays.

Families in Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie, and Shelby counties are serviced through this program.

The One Stop Community Christmas Program started the drive after noticing that some families in need were getting help from several organizations, but other families did not receive the help because of lack of information or resources, according to the program’s website.

Members of the Student Community Service office have been working with the program for the past four years.

Assistant dean Crystal Brown said the office of student community service makes tie fleece blankets for the families every year.

“Our focus is providing a blanket to each family to help keep them stay warm during the winter,” Brown said.

She said approximately 900 families with about 2,000 children are in need of blankets.

According to the Office of Student Community Service, the program also provides other items such as food, cleaning products and stocking stuffers to families in need.

“Last year, we were able to provide one blanket per family,” Brown said. “This year’s goal is to provide one blanket per child.”

A total of 765 families were helped last year, according to the website.

Brown said other departments and offices on campus cooperate to collect blankets, including the department of counseling and student development, the business office, office of the registrar, and the office of academic and professional development.

She said so far, the office of student community service members have collected about 700 blankets, and will continue to collect them until Dec. 5.

Blankets can be dropped off at the Student Community Service office, or for groups with a lot of blankets, student community service members can pick up the blankets from them.

Student Community Service members are also looking for volunteers to help pass out the blankets to families at Lake Land Community College on Dec. 13.

Volunteers will work at tables handing out blankets or serving as a personal shopper.

Those interested in volunteering or donating a blanket should contact the Office of Student Community Service.

Debby Hernandez can be reached at 581-2812 or dhernandez5@eiu.edu.