Linda Crum delivering dog beds to Mera Laurey of Friends of Pinal County Animal Shelter & Rescue.
Kris Prass and Athena Taylor making hygiene bags for Youth on Their Own students
Elise O’Reilly from the Tucson chapter of Project Linus receives blankets from the SaddleBrooke Friday Quilters.
Service Co-Chair Linda Crum delivered 15 dog beds to Julie Hall of Oracle Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. and got to share some affection with a chocolate fur-baby resident.
Linda Eisenhart and Kathryn Von Bargen
This is the final article in a series featuring the SaddleBrooke Friday Quilt Club’s 2020 service activities. Service Co-Chairs Linda Crum and Janette Volz have facilitated eight projects that benefit 10 different charities! This month we will feature beneficiaries that serve children and pets.
Youth on Their Own (YOTO)
Arizona is the fifth worst state nationwide for child homelessness. Even more disheartening, homeless youth are four times more likely to drop out of school and twice as likely to become unemployable adults trapped in poverty. Without the safety and stability of a permanent home, these vulnerable kids fall through the cracks and cannot receive the services they need in order to survive. YOTO strives to eliminate these barriers to education and to empower homeless youth to stay in school. For over 30 years, they have supported over 16,000 students in achieving high school graduation by providing financial assistance, basic human needs, and one-on-one guidance.
SaddleBrooke Quilt Club members made 40 bags for personal hygiene items given to the YOTO students. Through the generosity of the club members, extra hygiene products were provided to the YOTO store for students to purchase with points they earn by staying in school and maintaining passing grades. For more information about YOTO contact yoto.org.
LifePoint Church Youth Summer Camp
Though summer camp had not transpired as planned due to the COVID-19 closures, SaddleBrooke Friday Quilters gave 40 Summer Camp 2020 Camper bags to the children at the LifePoint Church Youth Group. The bags made the children smile with anticipation for when Summer Camp will take place. For more information about LifePoint Church contact azlifepoint.com.
Friends of Pinal County Animal Shelter & Rescue, Inc.
This organization coordinates with several animal rescue organizations to pull animals for rescue. They provide foster care for the animals and work toward getting them adopted. Quilters make dog beds and cat mats from leftover fabrics in multiple sizes. They are given to the Valley Humane Society Bow Wow Meow Thrift Shop in Casa Grande to sell to families that adopt the dog/cat. The proceeds go directly for veterinary services for the animals. Twenty cat mats were also recently given to Hermitage Cat Shelter in Tucson. They rescue cats from the Pinal County Animal Care and Control. For more information about Pinal County Friends, contact friendsofpinal.org.
The Tucson Chapter of Project Linus
The Tucson Chapter of Project Linus began in 1999. An average of 500-700 quilts and blankets for babies, children and teens are donated each month. Approximately 300 volunteers deliver the blankets to 30 different facilities in the Tucson area. Many blankets go to children’s units within hospitals and clinics. Blankets were given to children in foster care and Aviva (Children Protective Services), the Ronald McDonald House, local Indian reservations, and Easter Seals. The Quilt Club recently donated 33 quilts and baby blankets to the Tucson chapter, and will continue providing to this well-deserving organization. For more information about Project Linus contact projectlinustucson.org.