Do you love to quilt but you really don’t need one more quilt in your living space?? You are not alone! So many quilters are in the exact same boat. So, what’s a gal or a guy to do? Donate the quilts! There are wonderful organizations out there that could really use your homemade quilts. Here are the Top 5 Places to Donate Quilts!
1. Quilts of Valor
This organization awards quilts to veterans. According to their website, qovf.org, A Quilt of Valor® (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted. It is awarded to a Service Member or Veteran who has been touched by war. The Quilt says unequivocally, “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.” To use the term Quilt of Valor, Quilts of Valor or QOV, the quilt must be a specific size, must have a label with required information, it must be awarded (it is not a gift) and it must be recorded. The Foundation began in 2003 and has been serving veterans ever since. Most quilts they award are red, white, and blue patriotic quilts. To learn how you can donate or get involved with a local chapter, visit their website at qovf.org.
2. Quilts Beyond Border
According to their website, Quilts Beyond Borders is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which reaches out to underserved children, mainly orphans, across the world to provide a handmade quilt and spread love and hope. The organization began in 2007 with a goal to send homemade quilts to children of the world who had lost one or both parents. In the beginning, they focused on Ethiopia and within five years, they had delivered over 1,000 quilts to orphans. Since then, they have provided quilts and the comfort and love associated with them to at least 25 other countries. Their current priorities are Syrian refugees and the Navajo Nation. They continue to provide quilts to poor and underprivileged people throughout the world. Priority is given to orphans. For more information on how you can donate, please visit their website. Click here.
3. The Giving Quilt
According to their website, The Giving Quilt is a public, non-profit, charitable organization that promotes the creation and presentation of quilts that provide comfort to children and adults, and works to increase public awareness with a biennial public quilt exhibit and presentation ceremony. Organized in 2008 as a single quilt guild’s inspiration to provide quilts to wounded soldiers, it has grown into an organization that has provided hundreds of quilts to various non-profit agencies such as the Neonatal Unit at the Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge; Child Advocacy Services (CASA), which serves a 10 parish area; Quilts For Kids; Our Lady of the Lake Hospital’s Children’s Unit; Brave Heart, which serves children who are wards of the state; veterans and military service members through several organizations including Quilts of Valor; and St Jude’s in Memphis, Tn., to name a few. The Giving Quilt invites all quilters to participate by donating quilts, either through participation at Giving Quilt sponsored sew days or through the biennial quilt show. Quilters and non-quilters are encouraged to join and participate through donations and assisting at the show. For more information on how to donate, please visit their website, thegivingquiltinc.wordpress.com.
4. Local Homeless Shelters or Women’s Shelters
Local Homeless or Women’s Shelters – A wonderful place to donate quilts is to your local homeless or women’s and children’s shelters. These facilities are in continuous need of homemade quilts. Most of the time, quilts are sent along with those that leave the shelter. Therefore, they are always in need of new bedding. Consider calling a local shelter near your home to discuss how you can help.
Purchase it here.
5. Local Nursing Homes
Local nursing homes – Nursing homes are always in need of quilts and bedding, as well. So many of the residents are always cold and what better way to warm them up physically and mentally, than with a quilt? Not only do most nursing homes accept bed size quilts, they also welcome wheelchair size quilts (small rectangular lap quilts). Reach out to your local nursing homes to discuss their needs and to donate your next quilt!
It’s perfect to donate to nursing homes!
“Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” and “The fruit of love is service, which is compassion in action” are two wonderful quotes by Mother Teresa. May you be inspired to donate a quilt or two to a great cause of your choice.
Where can I donate fabric for quilters can use for making quilts for donating to the charity quilts.
I belong to a quilting group (there are about 10 of us) and we make quilts that we give to charities. Most of them go to World Relief. We also give many to nursing homes,
and many social services groups. Most quilts are made with 10 1/2 inch squares. Without donations of fabric we would not be able to continue this mission. We make hundreds of quilts every year and never turn a donation away.
Your local quilt club
Check with area churches for quilting groups making the mentioned donations. This year they found Meals on Wheels as a new local recipient.
Hi Sharon,
Check your local quilting stores first as they may have contacts. Next would be local churches- many have sewing or knitting groups that can use donations. Hospitals or nursing homes are good resources too.
Also, if you live in a larger city, contact your local American Sewing Guild chapter. (ASG.org). Contact the national headquarters if you can’t seem to find a local group – they can direct you- our group is called Hampton Roads as it encompasses the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. (Near the Atlantic Ocean, Norfolk, Va Beach,
Chesapeake and surrounding areas). These local groups donate finished items to various charities and often have fabric swaps or use donations for projects.
Women’s shelters especially or soup kitchens always need items and can direct you to potential groups that make items to donate.
Project Linus also takes fabric and makes quilts for children.
Good luck!!
Christie
Thank you! All of a sudden thread weight has come up in sewing projects and I had no idea which was which or where to look for the number on the spool.
I truly enjoyed all of the articles and got inspired create and give!
Thank you for this wonderful post! I’m going to research all of them and now have a great place to start!
Every article today has been so enjoyable and informative – thanks so much Beth and keep them coming!
Lutheran World Relief has globally distributed handmade quilts since 1945. Their current average is is 300,000 quilts a year. http://www.LWR.com/quilts
How about including Project Linus here in the USA?
I make and donate small children’s quilts (and crocheted blankets) to our city’s first responders. They keep them in their vehicles to have available to give a child in distress. I but them in 2.5 gallon baggies with the size written on the outside. This keeps them clean if tossed around in a high-use vehicle. I usually am able to make and donate about 100 of them per year. Our first responders here are always so very happy to get them. To keep costs down, I use two layers of cotton flannel as batting. I get bolts of it when it’s on sale.
Add your local fire department, sheriff’s / police departments to the list. They, sadly, encounter a lot of wee ones who really need a blanket to cuddle.
Hi Ellen,
I love this! What do you use for the backing? Do you tie or quilt the layers together? What’s your favorite way to bind? How do you get ~ 100 done per year?? I’m struggling to get a quilt per month done for our church to donate to our area hospice and VA. Thank-you!
Our small group of 4 make quilts for dialysis patient who are very cold during treatment.
I would like to donate three twin size (handmade) quilts to a Memphis area quilting circle, who could do VERY small repairs and then get them to new owners who need them. Two are matching, rose and mint colors. Each need a small repair, a center added to the “flower” pattern. The other quilt is vintage and better suited for a boy or man’s room. Needs sprucing up or brightening. All three quilts are clean, from smoke free home.
Project Linus, too!