AnnMarie:
Our quilt group made and donated over 50 quilts to our local Protective Services Dept. for foster kids in the year 2007...I think we made and gave 47 in 2006. And about the same numbers each year for the past 7 or 8 years. We have also made quilts for the Vet's home and for the local nursing homes. Several each year have gone to the Linus Program and if we hear of poor struggling families in need we'll make each family member a quilt. We've also made lots of small 20 by 20 inch quilts for our local animal rescue shelter so the animals have something warm to lay on while they are in the shelter. When the animal is adopted, the quilt goes to the new home with the animal. We love doing this and having a purpose for each item we make kinda inspires us to keep makin! We have the opportunity to try new patterns, new techniques and practice our quilting and the item we practiced on is loved and is always well used. What more could we ask for? Along with the quilts for the foster kids we make a stuff bag for each quilt so they have "luggage" when and if they have to move. Historically these kids' stuff was packed in the black garbage bags and years ago one little guy about 12 years old told his worker something like "you pack garbage in garbage bags!" Isn't that sad? We try to have lots of bags on hand so no kid is moved in a garbage bag.