If you're looking for projects where your sewing skills are greatly appreciated, consider these organizations:

Quilts for Kids. You can request their free quilt kits. They contain a pattern, fabric for the top and a backing fabric. You supply the batting (and the labor). They ask you send along an additional quilt from your own fabric, if possible. http://quiltsforkids.org/

Operation Kid Comfort needs people to help make pillows and quilts for kids of deployed military personnel. They send you pictures of the parent and child which have already been ironed onto fabric. You use those pictures along with your own fabrics to create one of a kind meaningful quilts. http://www.asymca.org/what-we-do-3/n...n-kid-comfort/

Quilts of Valor needs quilters to help provide servicemembers and veterans with quilts of their own. You can make quilts, but they also have a need for presentation cases (like a pillowcase). http://www.qovf.org/

The Painted Turtle is one of the Paul Newman Hole in the Wall Camps for seriously ill kids. They are always looking for folks to sew quilts or crochet/knit afghans, or even sew turtle pillows. (They send all campers home with a big ole stuffed turtle pillow.) http://www.thepaintedturtle.org/turt...stocontribute/

Stocking for Soldiers needs people to sew up Christmas Stockings for our troops overseas. The quick and easy pattern can be printed off the internet. They also have a list of items they are collecting to "stuff" the stockings with. http://www.stockingsforsoldiers.org/

Project Linus is looking for people to make blankets and afghans for kids. They can be fleece, cotton, flannel, crocheted or knitted, quilted or tied. http://projectlinus.org/

I've done projects for all of these organizations in the last few months. They've all become my go-to charities. You can see the pictures of all my work - several pages worth - here: http://debzpicaday.blogspot.com/sear...ty%2Fdonations

I'm always looking for other opportunities where my sewing skills can be put to good use. What are your favorite go-to organizations and how can others get involved?

You can always find charities close to home as well. Check out local shelters and community caregivers.

Along with the above other local places in your communities:

Neo natal units require quilts to cover the units housing the babies. These then go home with the babes.

Ronald McDonald houses

Children's wards

Nursing/Convalescent homes can use lap size quilts

Hospice

Thanks for the links!

I've been making bags for an organization called Care Bags. They fill them with toiletries and other necessities for children who have become homeless for various reasons. They will email you a basic pattern, but the sizes are flexible.

Thanks for the links. I'm bookmarking this post.

thanks for the comprehensive list

When I lived in central CA., I belonged to a tiny group of quilters, the quilts we made were given to the local women's homeless shelter and then we also got in touch with a gal with the County, that worked with foster kids, so we also donated quilts for the kids, to be their quilt, to take with them and do whatever they wanted with them. Here, I was going to donate to the local old age home, but they said that when the person died, if their relatives didn't want the quilt, the home tosses it in the trash, instead of giving it to someone else, so needless to say, I don't donate to them. A couple of my friends and I are making lap quilts to donate to the UC Davis hospital for the very ill children.

I also usually make a donation fund raising quilt for our local Humane Society, we are a no kill shelter and try our best to rescue dogs and cats from the pound.

TY for the info. A great way to offer our talents.

I don't understand that one. There wouldn't be someone else in the old age home who would need it? Maybe because it had belonged to someone who had passed away?

I've been making clothes and quilts for children overseas but have recently found that children in our area are also in need so our sewing group is making 200 small stockings and 90 gifts bags for Christmas for needy children. Thanks to a forum member, we received donated fabric for our projects and many children will be happier for it.

Your local Veteran's hospital

Homeless shelters

Police and Fire departments (they complement the bears they hand out)

Cancer and other fundraising organizations

Our guild is large and supports over 20 of the organizations - we made over 900 quilts last year for this purpose. I contributed a small number of them.

We resell our quilting magazines to each other at 25 cents each and use the money for batting. Donations cover most of the material and everyone dives into their stash as needed.

We now have local garment manufacturers that donate their leftover fabric to interested folks. Many charity quilts have come from that source.

Just do what you can! Every little bit helps!

i give lots to the local police/fire departments-
those quilts go to families who have had home fires- or families in crisis who are suddenly out of their homes-
kids in accidents-
also the women's resource center- for families in shelters.
there are many local charities if you would rather give (in your own backyard) instead of sending nation wide.

I've just posted a tutorial on how to make these stockings. If you're looking for something quick and easy to do for others, this might be your project.
http://debzpicaday.blogspot.com/2011...37-of-365.html

Great list. Thanks for putting it all in one post.

Thanks for sharing this information. Great time of year to think of others.