Thank you dunster for this clarification. I was beginning to feel like scrooge. I want everyone of any age to have a quilt but I was it was this organization's mission statement to donate to the gravely ill or abused.
Rita

Was the child in the NICU for any time or reason? I know our daughter was born at 29 weeks and we got a small blanket that a local group makes for NICU babies. We used it to cover her changing pad and now it is a play blanket...after almost 4 years, so it was appreicated and used.

But I do understand your questioning....maybe the hospital had an influx of quilts and could "afford" to give all babies one during that time.

As a hospital volunteer I am not at liberty to discuss any patient. I can say that babies are not born at my hospital and there is no Neonatal unit. We have a pediatric unit that serves infants to age 18. My point is only that quilts are given to any patient. Yes I know other patients have received quilts. I was just taken back by this use of QFK quilts given the mission statement.
Rita

I don't know how it works or if every hospital is the same. I do know that my daughter has been hospitalized a few times in the last year. She has gotten two crocheted blankets and a pillowcase. One of the volunteers that came in asked my daughter if she was an only child or if she had brothers and sisters. She told her she had one brother and one sister. They had little hand made bags with a small activity book and a few crayons and fleece blankets for them too. She said that they are all donated from a group of ladies to make sure all the kids there get something nice.
I am thinking each hospital has their own way of doing things. Maybe they have alot of quilts donated to the hospital you are volunteering at. I see your point though. They should change their statement.
As for my daughter, she has Crohns and we will never know how many times she will be hospitalized. Now we bring her "hospital quilt" and pillowcase so others can have them.

If the baby was not born in the hospital, then it was there because it was ill? If so isn't that a proper use for QFK? Children do not end up in the hospital because they are well. have you contacted your local QFK to ask them about it?

I've done QFK's as well. I believe their mission statement was the original basis for the organization. When I started doing quilts for them they were still operating out of the founder's home. They moved last year (I think) to a new facility. They are located near to me and I would drop off/pick up kits from the home. I can tell you that they were very blessed with the number of quilts that were being produced for them. Possibly their mission has expanded due to the volume of quilts they have been receiving, which is a wonderful thing.

NJ--that makes sense to me. Mission statement should be updated IMHO
Rita

I agree that the mission statement should be expanded. Having said that, every child who is in the hospital and the family are traumatized in some way. Their illness may not be life threatening, but being in the hospital is trauma enough. My DGS was in the hospital when he was 13 months old. For a week we thought (the doctors) that he had bone cancer. It turned out to be a broken leg. When he was discharged, we were all smiles, but that week was the most terrible week of our lives. I am a RN and I have seen many situations like that. Perhaps the hospital made the decision to give each child a quilt. I think that each family deserves something and once it is donated, it is up to the hospital how it is used. By the way my DGS is healthy and happy--thank the Lord. Another thought--once it is donated, it is up to the agency to decide what to do with it. If you don't approve, donate somewhere else. IMHO
Sue

Grandma58, I was thinking the same thing. I would rather see EACH child that's been in the hospital get a quilt, than have them pick which child has been "sick enough" to deserve one.
Susie- you are correct, hospitalization of a child takes a toll on everyone regardless of the severity of the situation. as a parent that has been in that situation more than once i can say any act of kindness during that time is greatly appreciated.(and any rude comment or slight is magnified)

Personally, I think they need to rethink the wording of their mission statement. As is, from the family perspective, the gifting of a quilt becomes a visible symbol of the gravity and seriousness of their child's condition -- probably not what is intended.

My youngest son is hospitalized frequently due to complications of his disability. We were offered a fleece blanket once (and accepted it gratefully) but most of the time the nurses see that he comes with quilts from home and probably doesn't "need" more. I do know that they frequently don't have "boy" quilts and larger sizes appropriate for a tween or teen. Everyone likes to donate the infant girly quilts.

RST