My quilt guild in Palm Harbor, FL donated the proceeds of our last raffle quilt to a home for female homless vets, Athea House in Tampa. It was very successful and struck an emotional cord. We also made quilts for them. We make baby quilts for a local hospital, and have other projects as well.

Annette

Girls, I have so enjoyed reading all that you do. I always knew we quilters were a special group. It's nice to see that we take ownership of it. When we post these things I think it will make more people think about how they can help others, even if it is a smile or a greeting of "Good morning or Good afternoon". Even some days when things are not going so well for me a smile or nice greeting will stay with me the rest of the day and some days longer. Keep up the good work!

My church has a quilt group that meets once a month to make simple quilts that are tied and donated to those in need in our area. One group that in particular has received lots of our finished quilts is a place for homeless teenagers. We try to give them a quilt and pillowcase to go with it.

This is how Edyta Sitar got started quilting. If I can recall the story correctly, this is what I remember. Her mother-in-law quilted and after making quilts for all of her extended family, she just made quilts. When one was completed, she threw it into a laundry basket. Then when there was a local need, she would have quilts ready to give to the families. She taught Edyta to quilt and when Edyta named her quilting site, she named it Laundry Basket Quilts. Edyta is a wonderful quilter, especially applique. She is also published. Check out her site.

Our small group does guilts for the local women's shelters and nursing homes

Alzheimer's association....local Board and Care Alzheimer's and Dementia facilities....The Local Community Hospital (Children's ward, Cancer Unit, Neo-Natal Unit)....Cancer Organizations....(Raffles) Church raffles for cause. American Red Cross.

I make totes for a girl's transitional home locally. Also other things for my church-supported charities like Christmas stockings for an orphanage in Haiti, etc.

This one's a little different:
I donate quilts to be raffled and also give basenji themed quilts when a donation to BRAT (our rescue organization) is made.
Why?
Ever since I've been involved in the breed it was known that 20% of them would get fanconi, a fatal kidney disease. A human anesthesiologist, with a pet afflicted with the disease, developed a protocol that extended afflicted dogs lives, to the point that we had quite a few that died of old age, while having the disease.
For 20 years we collected pedigrees, with known afflicteds marked, saved some money, and waited for the scientists to tell us they were ready for our data.
They told us they were ready and over the course of a few years, we were able to learn, with a simple cheek swab for DNA, which two basenjis should be bred to not have puppies that would get the disease.
This was wonderful news of course, but some human drs contacted us, before we had the test developed, that they knew we had extensive data, and they were interested in the process at the time because there were about 200 children would wide that had the same type of fanconi and perhaps they could benefit from our info.
OMG, to think this awful disease could be avoided in children, and they were spread so far and wide over the globe, and out collection of pedigree data could help!

To be a very small part of that, I can't even put into words how that makes me feel.

To be involved with a group of people that accomplished that is the reason I continue to help

I have just read all 7 pages of these posts and they are very inspiring. I guess with so many organizations to give to one just has to pick one and "get started". I have been thinking along the lines of breast cancer pillows since I was myself diagnosed last year. Also, receiving blankets. And I love the idea of making something for the older boys. I have a few friends that are firemen and policemen, so I was thinking about asking them their thoughts of what is needed the most. Anyway, thank you for all of your wonderful thoughts about giving. I am sure I will come up with something.

I'm over here in Germany and I never thought of how many good things you can do by sewing: I'm sewing heart-pillows for the "Heart Pillow Project", which donate these heart pillows to women and even men suffering from breast cancer, then I make "Nesteldecken" or "Twiddle blankets" for persons suffering from dementia, little mini quilts for too early born babys: "preemiequilts", catheter bags for children suffering from cancer, from fabric no one do like and give it to me I make quilts for our local kindergarten: they play with them and wrap up their dolls and so on.... There are never ending possibilities!!!!