Looking for advise on how to start a quilt drive?
 

I am thinking about organizing a quilt drive as a fundraiser in my area.

Can someone please provide some advise as to what go expect, details of what I should know and planning tips?

Thank you.

What is a quilt drive? Going door to door, asking for quilts? You want quilts donated? Then what will you do with them?

I have seen them for both blocks and finished projects. It woukd be for fundraising for disaster relief. I'm looking for someone with experience in organizing one to provide some "what to expect".

Are you thinking of collecting quilts to be distributed during disaster relief? Or are you thinking of raising money for disaster relief? If the latter, are you thinking of auctioning the quilts, or .....

Honestly, quilts are not a great way to raise money. They typically auction for less than the cost of the materials in them. Probably the best way to raise money with quilts is to make one that is then raffled off. You need to live in a state where such raffles are legal, and you need to meet the requirements of a raffle, but that is usually pretty easy. It helps to take a good color photo of the quilt and then print up flyers with the quilt on them. You need as many people as possible willing to sell raffle tickets for the quilt -- the more sellers, the better. And you need to allow enough time for raffle tickets to be sold -- again, longer is better.

Personally, I would not contribute a quilt or even quilt blocks to disaster relief. If I wanted to donate, I would rather donate money. In my case, I would also have to be convinced that the money would go where it is supposed to go. There are so many charity scams out there, I won't give to a good cause without doing some research on it first.

I'm curious about why you would want to do this.

I have worked for an long established non-government world relief organization, Mennonite Central Committee. It has many relief auctions through out America and Canada each year. A big source of revenue are the quilts, the Fresno California auction raised $180.K this year ( it rained) but it has raised up to $250 K, not all is from quilts, donated Mustang, food sales, etc.

The MCC community is well known for its' accountability so people donate to a cause. I donated a quilt and it sold for $95 , I wasn't there but they sent me the information. Yes, quilts don't sell for the time and money spent but I did get the satisfaction that someone liked it enough to pay that amount. I once saw one go for $12 K, it was an applique Baltimore Album, hand quilted.

Quilters will donate to projects that they are familiar with and have a passion for.

As I was advised my the monoraters I am not yo get into the specific details of the Disaster relief I would like to support. I am thinking of doing a quilt drive of some sort as the community I am looking to help is very small and have a very strong connection to quilting. I hope that helps.

good luck with your efforts.

I have donated quilts for both auction and raffle, through both my church and through an effort to help a specific family. I all instances, the quilt hardly made what the materials and quilting cost. But it helped none the less. so as long as you are aware of the limitations on what most quilts go for in charitable auction or raffles, I say go for it!
One tip with raffle--you must have some good photos, nicely printed tickets (usually we sell 6 for $5 or $1 each)have people willing to take the quilt to different events (and have a way to display it) and sell tickets. when my guild does a raffle quilt, we usually will sell quilts for about 6 months before the raffle so sometimes it gets little tiresome after a while. Hope these tips help.

I think why you are getting the questions is that you have not really defined what you are talking about.

Thus, the question remains ....... What is your idea of a quilt drive fundraiser?

Perhaps if you would answer this to give some clarity, there would be many here with expertise to share on the matter.

The best way my Guild raises money is to have several quilters work on the same quilt then raffle it off. It takes a few months of displaying it in various places but the money gained is greater than someone would pay for a quilt.

I have seen through many drives donations of quilts because of disaster relief where most quilts are donated. The feedback from these disaster reliefs is they need more money/funds than quilts and blankets. Fundraisers are whole different matter. Think of some networks with coat drives (donated coats and jackets). Stockpile or store for later use.