Christ United Methodist Church Donates Cozy Blankets to HomeCare & Hospice Comfort Care Baskets
Local church’s outreach team donates comforting lap blankets to support hospice patients and strengthen community compassion.
ALLEGANY - HomeCare & Hospice extends heartfelt gratitude to Christ United Methodist Church of Olean for their generous donation of cozy lap blankets, which are being shared with hospice patients through the agency’s Comfort Care Baskets program.
The outreach began when Cassandra “Cassie” Kelsey, Staff and Outreach Coordinator for HomeCare & Hospice, read about the church’s many community projects in an Olean Times Herald article earlier this year. Inspired by their ongoing acts of service, Mrs. Kelsey reached out to see if the church’s outreach team might be interested in supporting hospice patients as well.
“I was so touched reading about all the ways Christ United Methodist Church uplifts our community,” said Mrs. Kelsey. “The kindness, creativity, and compassion shown through their projects really align with our mission of caring for others with heart and dignity. These blankets will bring warmth and comfort to so many of our patients and families.”
The church’s Outreach Committee, led by Christie Brook, responded quickly and generously, purchasing cozy new lap blankets to include in HomeCare & Hospice’s comfort care baskets. This November donation is actually their second of blankets, following an initial gift in June 2025. The committee may establish this as an ongoing donation, possibly quarterly. HomeCare & Hospice appreciates this tremendous support.
“After Cassie reached out, our committee felt strongly about helping,” said Mrs. Brook. “Making enough hand-tied blankets for a large hospice project wasn’t possible for our Women’s Group this time, but we still wanted to back their efforts. By purchasing new blankets, we were able to support even more patients. It’s truly our pleasure to help - HomeCare & Hospice does awesome work!”
Christ United Methodist Church has long been a hub of compassion in Olean, providing steady support for organizations including the Olean Food Pantry, Genesis House, the Warming House, Interfaith Caregivers, Literacy of Love, and many others. Their recent donation to HomeCare & Hospice continues that rich tradition of service.
“We’re incredibly thankful for community partners like Christ United Methodist Church,” added Melissa Sullivan, CEO of HomeCare & Hospice. “Their generosity reflects the true spirit of community care. These blankets will bring warmth and comfort to those we serve, and we’re so grateful to Christie Brook and the entire Outreach Committee for making this thoughtful project possible.”
To learn more about becoming a volunteer with HomeCare & Hospice, please call 716-372-2106 or email ckelsey@homecare-hospice.org.