My name is Carin Vogelzang and I am so excited and thankful to Michele for the opportunity to blog today and share a small glimpse into my quilting world.
I have the privilege of being the founder and co-director of Margaret’s Hope Chest (MHC), a quilting non-profit organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Since April of 2007, we have given about 60 quilts to people who are experiencing seemingly hopeless situations.
This organization was born out of our own family’s hopeless situation, the murder of my 81-year-old grandmother, Margaret Herrema. She was attacked in a grocery store parking lot in April of 2005 and suffered a fatal head injury. After her death, there was a murder investigation, arrests, trials, and prison sentences for two young girls.
As with any tragedy, this was not how we pictured our lives would be. Thankfully, our family was surrounded by the community during these times. We felt tremendous support and love from friends and strangers. In time, I felt a nead to share love and support with others in similar situations and that’s how MHC came to be.
Many wonderful things have happened over the past two years, not the least of which is the healing this work has brought to our family.
We have been overwhelmed with donations of fabric and other supplies. We have several faithful volunteers who help assemble and finish off quilts, and I am beginning to understand how to run a non-profit organization successfully!
February is a big month for us-we are giving away a quilt a day – 28 days, 28 quilts! I have asked everyone I know to send me recommendations for recipients. The diversity of painful situations that we will be helping to ease this month is staggering – abuse, fire, abandonment, disease, accidents, unplanned pregnancy.
This brings me to the fun part of this blog post-A QUILT GIVEAWAY!!! I have reserved 3 quilts this month for people recommended by THIS blogging audience. The first 3 people to e-mail me at margaretshopechest@yahoo.com with the name and contact information of a deserving person or family will “win” a quilt for them. Can you think of someone who could use a gift like this?
Are you looking for a new charity organization to quilt for? We would love for you to join our Virtual Quilting Bee. Follow the link on our blog and join the fun.
“Hope is not a feeling, it is something you do”
