In 2008, Assistance League of San Jose had six programs and a seventh began when Lynda Tomasello, a Charter Member, had been making afghan blankets and had the idea of creating items for babies.
Names such as Happy Hookers and Knit-wit Hookers were suggested, but the group settled on Knitting Special Interest Group. The group enjoyed a few different names, and, in 2008-2009, the group renamed itself and was called Blankets for Babies.
in 2010, it became Caring Hands.
Lynda became the first Chairperson and ran it for about three years. There were approximately 15 members. In the beginning, the group met in Lynda’s house, then in the lobby of the Almaden Community Center, and as the group grew, they met upstairs in a private meeting room in the Community Center. A couple years later, they moved to a larger space at Joint Venture Church, where the group still meets today. Members had investigated places where they could donate the afghan blankets and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center was chosen.