Comfort Quilts Community Projects

Quilters' Connection's primary community service projects have been the production of comfort quilts. Comfort quilts are made in workshops shared with Burlington Quilters, the Jenks Senior Center, and others. We organize workshops throughout the year to work on these quilts, and we have kits available at monthly meetings for members to take and work on independently.
The workshops are offered to Quilters' Connection members, as well as other quilt groups, Senior Centers, Community Centers, and all who are interested in helping with this project.
We donate these quilts to local hospitals, shelters, rehabilitation centers, veterans, and more specifically, the major places are Childrens' Hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation, Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation, Tufts Floating Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Veterans, Camp Erin (a bereavement camp on Cape Cod), Battered Women Shelters (including REACH, and Second Step) as well as many more. Check out our QC Comfort Quilt Workshops descriptions.
In 2020, Quilters' Connection received a grant for ten years to extend the work of Comfort Quilts to:

•     Yawkee Way Family Inn, Brookline
•     Hole in The Wall Gang Camp, Connecticut
•     Quilts for Veterans at the VA Hospital, Bedford, MA

More information (including quilt sizes needed) about the three new areas is available.

Details of the grant are given here.

Recipients for each set of years are summarized below.

• 2020
  Comfort quilts began 30 years ago when we made a few quilts for some local hospitals.
  We have grown. We now donate hundreds of quilts every year.
  
     They still go to many of the large hospitals like MGH, Dana Farber, The Brigham, Deaconess, Lahey and many more.
     They go to rehabilitation centers like Spaulding and Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center.
     They go to nursing homes and hospice centers.
     They go to camps like the Paul Newman's 'Hole in the Wall Gang Camp' for seriously ill children.
     They go to other countries via organizations like "Wrapped up in Smiles".
  
  We have also been asked to make Comfort Things.
     We made hundreds of stuffed Teddy Bears. (Originally these went just to police and fire departments.
     The bears would be kept in the police cars to give a child involved in a car accident or a domestic incident or the like.)
     We have been asked to make Walker Bags- bags that attach to walkers.
     We have made Therapy Dolls - very simple dolls used by doctors and nurses to determine "where does it hurt" especially for patients who do not speak English.
     We make hundreds of Pillowcases - many go to nursing homes and many to children in hospitals long term.
     This spring many of us have been kept busy making 100s of Masks to deal with the virus,
     and that led to making Headbands with buttons to hold up the masks and protect the ears!
  
  We hold workshops monthly - in large groups in large spaces- as well as in small groups in private homes weekly.
  When we meet in person we distribute kits for people to work on. Please contact Jane Norberg for kits
• 2019
  We have been super busy with comfort quilts this fall. We have donated over 100 quilts already since Labor Day. They have gone to Brookview (in Dorchester) and battered women shelters in Burlington, to Wrap in Smiles (an organization for clef Palate Surgery overseas) and to a veterans organization. We have 25 quilts put aside for St. James Church after our workshop in October. We have quilts put aside for Yawkey Way. WOW.
• 2016-2017-2018
  In 2016, we donated over 200 quilts, pillow cases and teddy bears to organizations in the area. In 2017 we donated over 200 quilts.
  In 2017, a quilt was given to the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center which then raised almost $1000. That money was used to buy a Christmas tree and fill stockings for children who were unable to go home for the holidays. Other quilts have been given to Supportive Living, Inc, Race for the Cure, and a Burlington soup kitchen.
  Occasionally the group gets different requests. For several years they've helped doctors travelling from Boston to Haiti to provide medical care. They needed tote bags so their patients could transport needed medications and supplies.
  In 2018, the group supplied 100 bags in 2018 and have 30 ready to go for next year.
• 2008-2009
  $4000 was raised by the "Leaves that Keep on Giving" challenge at the 2009 Quilt Show. It was divided equally between The New England Quilt Museum and the Arsenal Center for the Arts, each receiving $2000.
  Comfort quilts were donated to NH Region 10 Community Support Services, Project Linus, Heartbeat Organization, Lynn Economic Opportunity Inc., USA Cares, The Children's Room (Arlington) General Proton Center, Heart House, House of Hope (Lowell), COR UNUM Meal Center (Lawrence), Children's Hospital,
• 2007-2008
  $1500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Comfort quilts were donated to DSS Transition Home, Children's Hospital, Women, Inc., Lynn Economic Opportunity, Abby's House, Shriner's Burn Hospital, NICU South Shore Hospital, Germaine Lawrence Home
• 2006-2007
  $2500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Comfort quilts were donated to Heartbeat Organization, Dept. of Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Elliott Community Human Services, Parmenter Hospice Residence, Project Linus, A Women's Concern, House of Hope (Lowell), Reach (Beyond Domestic Violence)
• 2005-2006
  $1000 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Comfort Quilts for victims of Hurricane Katrina in Houston, Baton Rouge LA, Mobile AL, New Iberia LA and Keene TX
  Locally, quilts were donated toTransition House for Victims of Domestic Violence and to Finex House in Jamaica Plain (A shelter for battered women and children)
• 2004-2005
  $1500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Comfort Quilts for Horizons for Homeless Children, a daycare center in Dorchester, Pernet Family Health Services in Worcester, and Missions of Charity in Dorchester, a homeless shelter for women and children
• 2003-2004
  $2500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
• 2002-2003
  $500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Comfort Quilts for veterans
• 2001-2002
  $500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Comfort Quilts Donated to Help for Abused Women and Children and the Children's Hospital of the North Shore
• 2000-2001
  $500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Comfort Quilts for children at Sandra's Lodge in Waltham, MA
• 1999-2000
  $500 was donated to the New England Quilt Museum.
  Funds raised through the sale of comfort quilts was donated to the Cape Cod Center for Women in Falmouth, MA
• 1998-1999
  Comfort Dolls donated to the Northshore Children's Hospital and to Help for Abused Women and Children on the North Shore