The Family Quilt

America’s Second Harvest is hosting National Hunger Awareness Day on Tuesday, June 5. Check the directory of events to find out what individuals and domestic hunger-relief organizations are doing to address hunger in your community. You and your family can find out about volunteer opportunities available, go on tours of area food banks, donate to food drives, and participate in various other events.

Baby Eliana, who was born with congenital heart defects and Down Syndrome, had to undergo open-heart surgery when she was only a few months old to repair two holes in her heart. Her tender-hearted big sister, Rebecca, was moved to help other kids after helping take care of Eliana and seeing other babies in the NICU while visiting her there. She knit two baby hats and donated them to the hospital but wanted to do more to help other babies with heart problems.

She decided to turn her beading hobby into a fundraising opportunity and started Wholehearted. She makes and sells beaded bracelets to help other children who need heart surgery. Her family and friends have contributed to the cause and help make the bracelets. To date she has raised almost $4000 for Duke Children’s Hospital, where Eliana receives her care.

The girls’ mother, Leslie, keeps a blog of the family’s joys (Eliana’s middle name is also Joy!) and struggles. She said of Rebecca:

“Wholehearted” is the name that Rebecca chose for her business, representing the whole heart she wants for her sister and other babies. Rebecca works diligently to make creative and unique bracelets, all the while helping take care of her younger brothers when Eliana requires special care from me–a feeding tube and another hospital stay. She has stepped up to the responsibilities with love to assist our family through this incredibly difficult time.

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A Colorado youth’s heart was touched when she became aware of poverty’s effects on other children in her community. She and her mother started a charity called A Birthday for Me to provide parties and presents for homeless and low-income infants and children. You can read more about Micheli and the organization she initiated here.

This is such a wonderful model of a child seeing a need in her community and taking action to solve the problem. Micheli didn’t let her age or the lack of an existing organization stop her, and her enthusiasm and compassion will hopefully inspire others.

From the article:
Adults or children who want to help with the next birthday party or those who want to donate money, toys, entertainment or other birthday services should e-mail Micheli at abirthdayforme@gmail.com.

Blanketeers of all ages help Project Linus provide new, handmade, washable blankets for seriously ill and traumatized kids. The organization is named after the Peanuts character and his beloved security blanket. Quilts, tied comforters, fleece blankets, crocheted or knitted afghans, and receiving blankets in child-friendly colors are accepted and given to children who, like Linus, benefit from the warmth and comfort that a handmade blanket provides.

This could be a fun, creative service project for families to work on together, and even young children can help tie knots to make No Sew Fleece Blankets. Patterns for a variety of blankets and afghans are included on the site. Another idea is to have children decorate individual squares and have a parent or other volunteer make a quilt. You can find out where to donate blankets and afghans and contact information for your local chapter on the Project Linus web site.

Chemo Angels is a program that matches up volunteer “angels” with people who have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy. Angels provide support and encouragement to their assigned patients by sending regular notes, cards, and small gifts.

Angel volunteers must be 25 or older, but this project could work for a family by having children help write letters, choose gifts, and make drawings and crafts to send. An alternative is to be a Card Angel and send additional cards of encouragement to someone who already has a Chemo Angel. It’s an event worth celebrating when patients finish their treatment and graduate from the Chemo Angels program. However, something to keep in mind if you make this a family project is that not all patients will win their battle with cancer.

A sister program run by the same organization is Senior Angels, which works the same way but matches up angels with lonely senior citizens who are homebound or in a nursing home or convalescent hospital. It is a long-term commitment but could be a great way to develop a long-distance relationship with an elderly person who could use some encouragement and support.

If you already know a friend or relative who is facing health problems or is lonely and hurting, sending notes, cards, and small gifts might be a good way to provide support and encouragement even if you do not live nearby or in addition to in-person visits from your family.

Do you have a heart to help the poor and care for those in need? Do you want to plant the seeds of compassion and mercy in your children?

It can be a challenge to find service opportunities that are suitable for families to do together, especially if you have small children. Here at The Family Quilt, you’ll find ideas, links, reviews, articles, and other resources that will help you cover your community with compassion while working together as a family.

If you have an idea you would like to share at The Family Quilt, click on the Submit an Idea tab at the top of the page.