Edie,
You pay it forward just one quilt at a time.
I send a message with my quilts about why I made it using a particular design, how each minute spent cutting, sewing, and quilting was with thoughts of how it will keep a soldier warm and let him/her know they are loved and thought about daily.
I've discovered that soldiers appreciate quilts more than words can say. We make them for a person, and not to match a room or decor, and that is what is so special.
Giving locally is wonderful. You can choose a state on www.anysoldier.com to make sure someone from your state gets the quilt as well.
Diane