Now that I am retired, I find I have more time to quilt. I'd like to quilt for charitable organizations but there are so many out there. I also know there are many I've never heard of.

Besides the Linus project which I know many quilt groups donate to, what is your favorite place to donate your quilts?

I love making quilts for Birthright. One for the baby and one for the mom-to-be.

I donate quilts to our local church at Christmas time for the needy families in our community.

Haven't given them yet, but I have 3 quilts ready for our local shelter for battered women.

I donate to the Downy Quilts for Kids program. I did my first last year and plan to do them annually.

Isn't retirement grand???!!!!

I donate a quilt every year to be raffled for the Relay for Life.

Talk to a hospital near you. They might need quilts for the neo natal unit or children's ward. They will also give you guidelines to use in making the quilts. Also if there is a Ronald McDonald house near you, they can always use quilts. Again check with whatever organization you are thinking of sewing for and see what their guidelines are.:)

Christian Appalachian Project (http://www.christianapp.org/) gives quilts out to the needy. Our sewing ministry makes little dresses that are taken to Brazil and Guatemala and now Haiti by our mission teams. The children there live in homes that are like our chicken coops. With our scraps from the dresses, we make small quilts for CAP and also give some to nursing homes. It is so rewarding.

I’ve made a couple raffle quilts for the Alzheimer’s Association. Money raised from these quilts went towards research to find a cure and also towards education to help those living with Alzheimer’s live with the day to day challenges of Alzheimer’s today, Safe Return Program and toll free 24 hour helpline.

There are so many more non-profits that need our help. Organizations to help children, our food pantry is struggling and animal rescue groups need help.

If you have a veterans hospital near you, check with the person in charge of donations. Our VA volunteers supply not only lap quilts, but other quilts and baby quilts to displaced veterans families. They are always glad to get anything we make.

We make quilts for a group called SANE. They are comfort quilts for victims of sexual abuse.

My favorite is American Hero quilts. The quilts are all made with red, white or cream & blue fabrics. I tend to add a bit of gold. They go to injured soldiers when they arrive at a VA hospital. Just google American Hero quilts and the website will have the specifications.

I have made and donated many quilts to Margaret's Hope Chest.

You can find their blog here: http://margaretshopechest.blogspot.com/

Here is the website: http://www.margaretshopechest.com/index.html

They accept all types, sizes and abilities of quilts.

I don't have a Linus chapter locally, and I like to know where my donations are going (as much as possible), so i take them to the local CASA for Kids office (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and they give them to the kids that are coming into foster care.

I just called them up and told them what I wanted to do, and they let me know what they could use (quilts for basically all ages of kids). They didn't have a lot of guidelines, I just make what I want and bring it. The lady that took my first batch of quilts was very excited to give them to "her kids".

I do Linus regularly but also do for charities who are raising money for special causes and I try to stay local. I've taken Linus quilts to the hospital and the nurses just get so excited to see more coming. It's great to know they're appreciated. Guardian ad Lidum is good, too, and it would be local.

I've taken the last two batches to the Sleep Center for children ages 5 to 9 that are going thru sleep problems.They are so excited when I come in with them and I got such a nice thank you card from them with all their signatures.

Spiffy! what a fabulous watercolor piano, can you please post a larger photo of it?? I've done several watercolors but am going to try the fuse and stitch method with the pellon grid as soon as I gather enough 2 inch squares...You did a marvelous job :-)
Pat

sorry I got sidetracked by your gorgeous avatar, but
I've been making baby quilts for Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (FSMA). My 6 month old grand niece died from this last summer and whenever a baby is diagnosed, FSMA sends the family a beautiful care package of homemade items. Violet's quilt was on her hospital bed. A bright reminder of the good in the world and the caring actions of strangers...

Quilts for Kids (www.quiltsforkids.org) donates thousands of quilts all across the country to seriously ill children or children of abuse. In 2010 in partnership with Downy we donated over 20,000 hand-made patchwork quilts. There may be a chapter near you. If not, you can always visit the website and request a quilt kit. Your own stash quilts are enthusiastically welcomed!

Women's Shelters in my area

My LQS has an employee who works with the Red Cross, so they take quilts in so when she goes out with the Red Cross she has quilts to take with her. The store also donates to the local woman's shelter. They also collect pillow cases for the local hospitals in the area. I'm going to make a quilt for Mission of Love soon. Have the material cut out so will be ready to go.

Are local Project Linus will give you everything to make the quilt except the thread if you are on a tight budget.

Quilts of Valor for wounded soldiers, in our area is a new retirement home for women nets, also did one for a children with cancer camp, and Dr. Laura's kids who out of home for their safety.

Our neighborhood quilt group for the last 9 years has made charity quilts. We donated lap quilts to the Red Cross to distribute to nursing home residents, baby and smaller quilts for foster care children, to a neighborhood distribution center for the working poor, as well as project Linus, and what we called Project Snoopy (Pet beds for the SPCA) (We disbanded this year because of personal circumstances, but I plan to continue to make some each year for various causes.)

I do mainly for Quilts of Valor and some for our local guild that gives them to various organizations. In the past I have worked with Binky Patrol in OK.

QFK

I donate quilts to Quilts of Valor QOVF.org. All the quilts are awarded to any member of the military touched by war. Any war and conflict. It's my was of saying thank you to our military.

I donate to the Montana School for the deaf and blind to use as fund raising.

I made six quilt for Quilts for Kids and I am now working on a Quilt of Valor.

Wouonded Warriors is my HERO location. These go to military soldiers who have been wounded in battle/accidents. Just google Wounded Warriors to learn more about this great organization.

I belong to a group of crafters that donates handmade quilts, afghans, hats & booties to the local hospital for newborns. Most people don't realize that a LOT of babies go home without a hat or blankie. Helps to call first to make sure there is a need in your area. We also do for local women's shelters.

Downy Quilts for Kids. My 2 year old niece had cancer (but thankfully is in remission now) so it's a charity that means something to me. I also make things for our local no-kill Humane Society.

Our guild has donated to several groups over the years, but right now we donated to several hospitals, soliders at the hospital, an adoption agency, for this one we make a childrens quilt & an extra 12" square, the adoptive mother gets the quilt & the birth mother gets the square as a rememberance, they say the the birth mothers really appreciate this......... also we have donated to the fire/police depts, shelters for battered women.... we did quits one year for a Childrens Home, there was 22 kids there and we made a quilt for each of them for Christmas... there are just so many places out there if you do a little cking..and I am sure there were alot given on here I just didn't read all the posts!!........

This year I made dolly blankets for the children of battered women. Also to the homeless shelter and I like to keep one ready for any one that suffers a hardship, evition, fire or lengthy illness. There are so many more, and sew little time.

I do Project Linus as well. We make quilts/blankets for local hospitals and, being close to Ft. Bragg, give lots of blankets and quilts to the hospitals and other auxilliaries there. Any time a soldier is killed or injured, their children get a blanket or quilt.
Jo Ann

I quit sewing for many charities when the quilts were showing up on ebay, craigslist and yard sales!

Our local YWCA has our extension clubs make quilts and pillow cases each year for Christmas. While handing them out 2 years ago a lady in line was bragging to the ladies around her that this was her third year to get quilts/cases for her 6 kids and that she then sells the quilts online and uses the money to buy video games! REALLY...if she was willing to sell them, I doubt she was buying games with the money, but drugs or bar hopping instead....so I no longer donate fabric, times, etc to that project.

I now make lap quilts for the veteran's in homes around the state. Quilts that I know are loved and KEPT and appreciated!

I donate to the Quilts of Valore and our local hospice. Hospice gives a quilt to every person that enters the hospice program.

Linus Project and Quilts For Kids.
These quilts go to sick children which I think is great.
Congratulations on your retirement!
Glad to hear you are going to put your skills to good use donating quilts. :thumbup:

I donated to a Vet's Hospital for many years. Since moving, first it is St. Vincent's Charity Resale or Salvation army.

Quilts For Kids