Gift Quilt Program
The Gift Quilt program is a major part of AQA and is well supported by our members. We usually donate about 250 quilts per year to the charities we support. We receive numerous letters thanking us for these quilts and for how well they are received and appreciated by recipients.
Most of the fabric we use for the tops and backings has been donated by our members. We also raise funds, and in some years have received a Grant from Whitehorse Council Community Grants to purchase rolls of wadding. We usually purchase about 5 rolls per year.
The Gift Quilt Program volunteers organise and supply kits that include a pattern and fabric. These are placed on a table at the entrance to the hall for members to take home and sew. Once the top is complete, it is brought back to us, then bundled with the backing, wadding and binding, and again put out for a member to take home to sandwich the 3 layers together and quilt. On completion, the quilt is returned, shown to our member at the next meeting, photographed, and a picture is put into our newsletter.
The Gift Quilt co-ordinators also accept and sort donated fabric and organise the distribution of the quilts.
These are some of the organisations benefiting from our donations;
- Peter Mac Cancer Centre Melbourne – Hospital for treatment and care of cancer patients plus palliative care.
- Odyssey House Victoria – Counselling and support, plus residential rehabilitation for alcohol and other drug affected families. Quilts are sent to clients after they complete a significant stage in their rehabilitation program.
- Anglicare and Foster Care Vic – Protection and empowerment of disadvantaged children, young people and families.
- SOCIT (Box Hill Police) – domestic violence & sexual abuse.
- Eastern Emergency Relief – Servicing people in crisis
- Salvation Army – numerous programs they run for alcohol & drug affected people, women being released from prison; our quilts are on the bed when they arrive and on completion of the program, some 6-8 weeks later, the quilts are kept by them.
- St Vincent Palliative Care – end of life support.
- Backpacks 4 Kids – children in crisis and foster care.
Other organisations are supported from time to time in the event of natural disasters or when the need arises.
Here are a few examples of gift quilts created by our volunteers.
