Community Projects

The Common Thread Quilt Guild is a giving guild and has always had a mandate to give back to the community. We have seen the generosity of members increase over the years, even during challenging times like Covid.

Members continue to have the option of donating entire quilts or quilt tops.   Professional long-arm quilters, and guild members, donate their quilting time for the “tops” that we receive.  Many members also present us with finished quilts of all sizes.

These are the organizations that this guild helps at this time:

Ottawa General Hospital – NICU

One of our most consistent charitable works is providing cuddle quilts to the Ottawa Hospital NICU and Post-Partum Unit. To date we have created more than 3,500 of these quilts.

Recipients: babies in either the Intensive Care neo-natal or Post Partum Units.

• • • Quilt size:  Cuddle Quilts: 22” x 22”

Interval House, Ottawa

Interval House is an organization that provides safe temporary housing for abused women and their families during difficult times.   

Recipients: women and their families

Quilt sizes:

• • • single bed size (60”x72”)
    • children’s sizes (36”x40” and 40×60”)

YM/YWCA

The YM/YWCA provides for a multitude of people.  In particular, the T.R.Y.  program is a supportive housing program for women.  The YM/YWCA also includes other programs helping low income independent singles (adults over 25) as well as youth (ages 16-24).

• • • Single bed size (60”x72”)
    • children’s sizes (36”x40 up to 50”x 70”)

CARTY HOUSE

This organization provides temporary housing for refugee women transitioning to homes.

Recipients:    Women

• • • Preferred quilt size:    60″ x 72″ (single bed size)

 

Cornerstone Housing for Women, Ottawa

Cornerstone is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless women, by helping them find a safe, affordable place to call home.  They provide emergency shelter and supportive housing for women.  Our quilts go to women who have found a home through Cornerstones.

Recipients: women who have found a home through Cornerstones

• • • Preferred quilt size: single bed size (60” x 72”)

 

Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa (CHEO)

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) is a major children’s hospital and university teaching hospital in Ottawa. Every year CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario.

Recipients: children who are at the hospital long-term, or those who visit frequently

Quilt sizes:

• • • 36” x 48” for infants
    • up to 52” x 60” for teens

 

Miriam Centre Orleans

The centre provides support (physical and emotional), to young mothers (or parent) and their babies.

Recipients: children or young parent

• • Quilt size for toddlers to 4 years old – 36”x 48”
  • Young adult – mostly female – 50” x 70”

 

Hospice Care of Ottawa

The “Hospice Care of Ottawa provides final care to a variety of patients.  They have requested a preferences for “comfort quilts” made from flannel to provide extra warmth to the patient.

• • • Quilt size for all – 45” x 60” maximum size.

 

Osgoode Care Centre

This is a senior care facility in the outskirts of Ottawa.  We are providing “wheel chair” quilts.

Recipients:  seniors both male and female

• • • Wheel chair quilt sizes – 36”x36” or 36”x40”

 

Perley Rideau Veteran Care Centre

This is a senior care facility in the Ottawa area.  We are providing “wheel chair” quilts.

Recipients: seniors both male and female

• • • Wheel chair quilt sizes:  36” x 36” or 36”x40”

 

Forrest Valley Terrace

This is a senior care facility in the Orleans area.  We are providing “wheelchair” quilts for them.
Recipients: seniors both male and female

• • • Wheel chair quilt sizes:  36” x 36” or 36”x40”

 

The Infant and Child Development Program of Algoma Public

This program assists at risk infants and children experiencing delays in development.  The program provides services to children from birth to school age.

Recipients:  Infants, toddlers up to school age.

• • • Quilt size: 36” x 48”

 

Chernobyl, Europe

The nuclear disaster in Chernobyl has many long lasting effects.  There are many orphans, elderly, children and families living in poverty as a result of the disaster.  Once a year, one very special person in Kingston, Ontario sends a shipping container of items for the needy, ensuring that everything goes to those in need.  We provide quilts of any size to be shipped to Chernobyl, to be enjoyed by all ages.

Recipients: orphans, the elderly, children and families living in poverty

• • • Quilt size: any size

Other organizations that have received our quilts in past years:

• CHEO Dialysis,
• Ronald MacDonald House,
• Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre, Orleans
• Celebration of the elders at the Odawa Native Friendship Centre

Our quilts have found their way into the arms of young and old alike.