Quiltsy Cares' Gaydeen Dollar

Our first Quiltsy Cares' star is Gaydeen Dollar of SweetLeafQuiltShop. Her charity is Johnson & Johnson One Child, One Blanket and Gaydeen donated 45 quilts and 44 fleece blankets!

Why is your charity special to you? I am an employee of Johnson & Johnson. Over the years, the employees of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies have often supported victims of humanitarian disasters, mainly through company-matched financial and product donations. The "One Child, One Blanket" program has created a path for employees and the community to respond personally. Blanket donations are made year-round by individual employees as well as through group efforts supported by colleagues, friends, families and the community. The blankets then become part of a kit of individual hygiene items prepared in advance of need.

In total, it's hard to estimate the total number of quilts I have made-somewhere in the thousands. In addition to the quilts in my home and those gifted to family and close friends, a number of my quilts have made their way into the lives of the homeless, hospice patients, displaced and abused children, cancer victims and soldiers of valor.

I feel that gifting a quilt is giving a gift of love, providing a hug to someone who is feeling lonely, sad or unwell. A quilt can truly provide a sense of comfort and security. This program is special to me because it gives me an opportunity to pair my love of quilting and my sewing skills to brighten a child's life somewhere in the world, providing them with warmth, comfort and security during a time of horrific upheaval. I am thrilled to know that these blankets will cheer the lives, warm the bodies and comfort the souls of many children.

Gaydeen lives in Orlando, Florida and has been quilting for 20 years. She has been a member of Quiltsy Team for a year. Her favorite thing to make in her Etsy shop is quilts because they become "sewn hugs"!

Here is a link to a two-minute photo montage of recipients with their donations:

one+child+one+blanket

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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