Quilt Donation Drive 2025
Wrap a Child in Love: How to Donate Quilts to Children in Foster Care
There's a special kind of warmth that comes from a handmade quilt—a warmth that not only provides physical comfort but also conveys love, care, and security. For children in foster care, who may face uncertainty and change, a quilt can be a comforting reminder that someone cares deeply about them. If you're a quilter with a heart full of compassion, here's how you can donate your creations to bring joy to these children:
1. Join the Quilt Donation Drive 2025
Stacey Lee Creative has launched the fifth annual Quilt Donation Drive, dedicated to donating quilts to Comfort Cases, a nonprofit organization that provides essential items to children entering foster care. This year's drive is particularly special, with over $5,500 in prizes available, thanks to generous brand partners and sponsored by Moda Fabrics. Participating in this drive not only allows you to donate a quilt but also gives you a chance to win some fantastic prizes.
How to Participate:
Create a Quilt: Design and sew a quilt suitable for a child (30” x 40”-slight variations accepted) or teenager (50” x 50” - slight variations accepted). Check here for an several easy, quick and free quilt designs.
Register Your Donation: Visit the Quilt Donation Drive 2025 page on our gracious hostess Stacey Lee Creative's website to register your quilt and get all the details on how to submit it.
Send Your Quilt: Follow the instructions provided to send your quilt to the designated collection point.
2. Donate Directly to Organizations Supporting Foster Children
If you're looking to donate outside of the Quilt Donation Drive, several organizations welcome quilt donations for children in foster care:
My Very Own Blanket: Based in Westerville, Ohio, this organization works with foster care agencies across the United States to provide handmade blankets to children in foster care. They even offer patterns and guidelines to ensure your quilt meets the needs of the children they serve.
Comfort Cases: Located in Rockville, Maryland, Comfort Cases includes quilts and blankets in the backpacks they provide to children entering foster care nationwide. These backpacks contain essential and comfort items, helping to ease the transition for these children.
3. Connect with Local Organizations
Your local community may have organizations that accept quilt donations for children in foster care:
Project Linus: This national organization has chapters in every state and provides handmade blankets to children in need, including those in foster care. By donating to your local chapter, you can ensure that your quilt benefits children in your community.
Local Foster Care Agencies: Reach out to foster care agencies in your area to inquire if they accept quilt donations. Building a relationship with these agencies can provide ongoing support to children in your community.
Local Quilt Guilds: Your local quilt guild may have existing connections to donate quilts to children in the foster care system, check with them to see if they can be your intermediary.
4. Consider Quilt Size and Design
When creating a quilt for donation:
Size: Lap-sized quilts (approximately 40" x 60") are versatile and suitable for children of various ages. Many non-profits who handle the quilt distribution have size restraints, so check with the organization you’re planning to donate to prior to making your quilt.
Design: Opt for cheerful and gender-neutral colors and patterns to appeal to a broad range of children. Create something that you would give a friend, or loved one- something desirable or trendy will help the child feel extra loved.
Durability: Use high-quality materials and sturdy stitching to ensure the quilt withstands frequent use and washing.
5. A Personal Experience: Creating Quilts as a Community
Last year, I had the opportunity to work with other women in my church and community to create and collect quilts for children in crisis and entering the foster care system. The experience was not only fulfilling but also a testament to the power of collective kindness.
A friend and I had received several giant plastic Rubbermaid bins full of donated fabric. We spent hours coordinating the fabric by color, assembling them into quilt kits, and distributing them to eager volunteers. Next, we visited several churches to teach individuals how to cut the fabric into five-inch squares for simple patchwork quilts. Many of the participants were learning to quilt for the first time, and it was inspiring to see their enthusiasm.
Once the fabric was cut, we scheduled an open sew event where sewists of all levels came together to stitch the quilt tops. The room was filled with the hum of sewing machines and the chatter of new friendships forming. Young girls and women worked side by side, learning the art of quilt-making while contributing to a meaningful cause.
At another gathering, we basted the quilts with glue and secured them in preparation for tying. Finally, at our last event, a group of dedicated women tied the quilts while I sat at my sewing machine, binding them one by one. Any unfinished quilts were sent home with volunteers to be completed later. By the end of our efforts, we had created over 100 quilts—each one destined to provide warmth and comfort to a child facing an uncertain future.
This experience showed me that quilting is more than just stitching fabric together; it is an act of love and service. It brings people together, fostering community, creativity, and compassion.
6. Spread the Word and Inspire Others
Encourage fellow quilters to join the cause:
Share Your Story: Document your quilting process and share it on social media or local community boards to inspire others to donate their quilts.
Host a Quilting Bee: Organize a local event where quilters can come together to create quilts for donation. Check with your local library or quilt guild to see if they have existing framework to make this easier to put together.
Collaborate with Quilt Shops: Partner with local quilt shops to host donation drives or workshops focused on creating quilts for children in foster care.
By donating a quilt, you're offering more than just warmth; you're providing a tangible symbol of love and care to a child who needs it. Every stitch you sew is a hug they can wrap themselves in, reminding them that they are valued and cherished. Let's come together as a community to wrap these children in the warmth of our quilts and our hearts.
