Our History

It's Binky Patrol's 30th anniversary. Susan Finch marks the week with a look back at how one mention on The Oprah Winfrey Show launched the organization into 48 states almost overnight. She invites every chapter and supporter to celebrate this Saturday, gather friends, finish a stash project or a UFO, and send photos of how they marked the milestone. Susan also introduces Comforting in Color, a flexible new project any group, school, church, or business can run. Plus a look back at three decades of memories: golf tournaments, a summer of community quilting at a Wells Fargo branch, the Founder's Day Parade, braille binkies for blind children, and two throwback clips revisiting the chaos and joy of Disney's Give a Day Get a Day program and a massive Girl Scout troop blanket drive. Thank you to the national partners who made 30 years possible.
 
Learn More: https://binkypatrol.org
Donate: https://binkypatrol.org/donate-to-binky-patrol 
More Ways to Help: https://binkypatrol.org/ways-to-help/ 
 
Thirty years national — One Oprah Winfrey Show mention launched Binky Patrol into roughly 48 states almost overnight.
Comforting in Color launch — A new flexible project any group, school, church, or business can run in their own space.
Anniversary celebration invite — Susan invites every chapter and supporter to mark the milestone this Saturday with friends and a stash project.
Time capsule reveal — Susan's chapter will finally open a sealed time capsule from the 1990s that's never been touched.
Early supporters thanked — Susan thanks founding-era volunteers and partners, including the original golf tournament organizers and a Wells Fargo branch that hosted a summer of community quilting.
Disney and Girl Scout memories — Two archived clips revisit the chaotic, joyful drop-off days from Disney's Give a Day Get a Day program and a massive Girl Scout troop blanket drive.

Four Binky Patrol directors — Miriam Siegel (Nebraska), Carolyn Berndt (Thousand Oaks), Terrie Madruga (Idaho), and Jeanne Malgioglio (Connecticut) — join founder Susan Finch for a 30th anniversary conversation that is equal parts laughter, tears, and gratitude.
"I'm here to help. Can't sew, but here I am." — Carolyn Berndt, arriving eight months pregnant to her first Binky meeting
You'll hear Miriam's story of finding a tiny newspaper ad and calling her mom instantly. Carolyn showing up eight months pregnant, unable to cut a straight line, and becoming a public speaking powerhouse. Terrie turning "I have no talent" into every volunteer having a title and a purpose. And Jeanne — the newest director — already mastering the art of moving 500 blankets across the country on donated trucks.
Missing today but never forgotten: Tom, Marlys, and Donna Serra — each one a quiet, steady force behind the mission.
This one will make you cry. In the best way.

Five new Binky Patrol chapters have launched — St. Marys, Georgia; Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; Janesville, Wisconsin; Sharon, Wisconsin; and a drop-off location near Oregon State University in Corvallis. Pennsylvania's newest chapter made 86 blankets at their very first Binkathon, with a football team and student volunteers showing up to help.
June 20th marks Binky Patrol's official 30th anniversary — the date a shout-out on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996 turned a 30-day-old Laguna Beach group into a national organization, triggering 800+ calls in 48 hours. Some of those original chapters are still active.
Oregon volunteers: storage cleanout is this Saturday. Fleece, flannel, cotton, batting, and soft washable yarn only. No stretchy fabric, no sheer curtains, no burlap.
The October Binkathon is open to all chapters. Find yours — or start one — at binkypatrol.org.
[00:00:00] Welcome and new chapters overview[00:00:26] New chapter — St. Marys, Georgia (Latoya Wertz, St. Mary's Senior Activity Center)[00:00:49] New chapter — Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania (Pamela Scandale, 86-blanket first Binkathon)[00:01:12] New chapter — Janesville, Wisconsin (Dylan Thomas, Bodacious Brew Coffee Shop)[00:01:32] New chapter — Sharon, Wisconsin (Sherri Farning)[00:01:52] New chapter — Corvallis, Oregon drop-off near Oregon State University (Rania, Ryan, Zoe)[00:02:14] Mr. Ballen Grant and private donation funding social and chapter growth[00:02:45] Oregon storage unit cleanout — this Saturday; fabric needs[00:03:30] June 20th 30th anniversary preparation[00:03:41] The 1996 Oprah Winfrey Show mention and what happened next[00:04:06] 800+ calls in two days; original chapters still active[00:04:41] Mission — blankets as a reminder that kids matter[00:05:01] October Binkathon — find or host an event at binkypatrol.org[00:05:18] Final call to action — join, volunteer, start a chapter
 

In this update episode, founder Susan Finch shares what Binky Patrol chapters are doing right now, from sending handmade blankets to tornado victims in Illinois and Indiana (in partnership with Reach Out Worldwide) to launching the Active Seniors campaign, expanding Greek life events in Connecticut and Oregon, and preparing for Bink-A-Thon in October.
The official 30th anniversary lands on June 19th — the date Binky Patrol went national, time zone by time zone, when it appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show for National AIDS Awareness Day. Susan gives a shout-out to author Jennifer Chiaverini, whose book Round Robin from the Elm Creek Quilts series is part of their celebration reading list.
The Bink-A-Thon, sponsored by the Mr. Ballen Foundation, is ramping up. And Mr. Ballen himself is heading out on a live storytelling tour this summer — including a stop in Portland, which happens to land right around the 30th anniversary date.
Susan also breaks down all the ways to get involved: become a chapter, host a one-time event, or set up your business as a drop-off location — with your logo, your info, and your choice of where local blankets get delivered.
One volunteer hour a month. That's all it takes.
Learn more and get involved at binkypatrol.org
Links Referenced in This Episode
binkypatrol.org — Binky Patrol main site
binkypatrol.org/active-seniors — Active Seniors campaign
binkypatrol.org/greek-life — Greek life campaign
roww.org — Reach Out Worldwide (tornado relief partner)
ballenstudios.com — Ballen Studios (live storytelling tour dates)
mrballen.foundation — Mr. Ballen Foundation (Bink-A-Thon sponsor)
tvctv.org — TVCTV (local community cable, PSA submissions)
 
 

Nina Acosta, the Area Coordinator for Riverside Binky Patrol, told us, "When I started doing this with my daughter 15 years ago, I didn't think that it would still be here!" Susan asked her the reason she's still in Binky Patrol and her favorite part. Nina says it's the stories. Knowing the difference a binky their chapter made given to one child keeps them all going. Being able to immediately handle the need of a child or family in their community is another driving force keeping them motivated. Nina says, "If somebody calls me and says, 'Hey, I've got a, a friend that their house burned down' or 'I've got some kids and that mom's struggling, they don't have blankets, and they're freezing,' just knowing that because of this, I can help them. It might not be a lot it's, but it's enough for what they need at the time."
Nina Acosta is a 15 year volunteer and chapter leader for Binky Patrol. She says being able to immediately handle the need of a child or family in their community is another driving force keeping them motivated. What did you do this month to change the life of a child in need? We have ideas on our website.

What we do is simple. We make blankets and give them away to comfort teens and children who need a reminder that they matter, that they are not invisible. But can a binky be more than a blanket? Definitely, listen to this quick episode on how you can send binkies through your phone. A binky isn't just a blanket.
If a binky is a reminder that someone matters and that they are not invisible and that someone cares can it be something other than a blanket. Yes.

People would watch Oprah DAILY. She inspired, and continues to do so. But she was upstaged in 1996 by little Hydeia telling us what it was like as a child to be born with and live with AIDS. The entire country wept with her, even though she fought back tears with enormous strength to tell her story and drive us to action. In the middle of it, Oprah showed a photo on the screen of Binky Patrol founder, Susan Finch holding a blanket and with her business phone number if you wanted to help comfort kids like Hydeia.
Let's put this in a better context. The internet was just starting. People got their news and found who to follow on television, radio, and in newspapers. Oprah was a big presence. AIDS was still a stigma. Children who were born with it were shunned, ridiculed, and ostracized as if they had a choice in the situation. They felt alone. When Binky Patrol started it was specifically for children like Hydeia. Plenty of organizations made blankets for kids with cancer and other diseases, but they were not addressing those with AIDS, born drug-addicted, in foster care, abandoned, forgotten, or invisible. Those 30 seconds launched Binky Patrol nationally because when Oprah tells you to call a number to help kids, you do it. We are forever grateful.
Lisa Cintron joins Susan to recall the impact 30 seconds on the Oprah Show had on Binky Patrol. We had launched less than 30 days prior, weren't officially a 501c3 yet, but were approached by the staff at the show because we were focusing on kids like Hydeia who had AIDS. People would watch Oprah DAILY. She inspired, and continues to do so. But she was upstaged in 1996 by little Hydeia telling us what it was like as a child to be born with and live with AIDS. The entire country wept with her, even though she fought back tears with enormous strength to tell her story and drive us to action. In the middle of it, Oprah showed a photo on the screen of Binky Patrol founder, Susan Finch holding a blanket and with her business phone number if you wanted to help comfort kids like Hydeia.
If you want to help, visit our site - there are many ways to help comfort these children. https://binkypatrol.org
 

Hear about a spontaneous non-profit grew to a nationwide organization from three people who were there 26 years ago. Miriam talks about walking the streets – of Laguna Beach, and Lisa talks about the streets of Skid Row, and how volunteering for Binky Patrol forever changed their lives. Learn about Binky Patrol and hear the reminder about volunteering and how it can be FUN, easy and give you forever friendships. Join us for this episode of All-Volunteer, All Heart from Binky Patrol hosted by founder, Susan Finch.
Learn more about Binky Patrol at https://binkypatrol.org . We are an all-volunteer 501c3.