The Quilter’s Trunk, a retailer of high quality fabrics, sewing machines and sewing supplies, will receive the 2017 ANDi Partnership Award from A New Direction Beverly Morgan Park (AND) at the organization’s annual benefit on Sat., Oct. 21, 7 to 10 p.m., Ridge Country Club.
The ANDi award is given to an individual, business or agency that helps AND fulfill its mission “to provide counseling, education, support and advocacy to individuals and families affected by domestic violence.”
The award will be presented to the The Quilter’s Trunk owner, Katie Nathwani, and store manager, Lisa Wilberding, in honor of their work with AND.
Since The Quilter’s Trunk, 10352 S. Western Ave., opened in 2015, Nathwani and Wilberding recognized that giving back to the community is an important facet of their business. They became active participants in Quilting Magazine’s One Million Pillowcases program, which encourages quilt shops around the country to collect handmade pillowcases for donation to charities of their choice.
The Quilter’s Trunk expanded the scope of the program to include hosting sewing events to create pillowcases, as well as to collect quilts for donation. To support victims of domestic violence, they chose AND as one of the recipients of the donations.
The quilts and pillowcases donated to AND are given to women and children served by the agency. Through daily contact with The Quilter’s Trunk customers, word spread about Nathwani and Wilberding’s program and the response has been remarkable. In its first 18 months with the program, The Quilter’s Trunk donated more than 200 pillowcases and 50 quilts.
“Quilters quilt out of love and are very generous with their time,” said Wilberding.”
Kristy Arditti of A New Direction, views the program as a way for men and women in the community to connect with and support the agency’s survivors. “Making things by hand is a lost art and we have been witness to the tremendous comfort these quilts and pillowcases have brought our clients.” Arditti said. “The feeling that they are worthy of such beautiful and painstaking creations is not to be undervalued. They also serve as a physical reminder that our clients are not alone and that they deserve safety and comfort.”
Jessica McCarihan, AND Board president agrees. “Our agency depends on community involvement like this to be successful. We are so grateful to The Quilter’s Trunk for supporting our agency in this way.”
The Quilter’s Trunk is the sixth recipient of the ANDi award. Others are The Women of the Castle; Amy Moran, Alphagraphics; Julie Partacz, Standard Bank; Katie and Patrick Murphy, Sweet Freaks; and Jean Catania and the Morgan Park Juniors.
Information about AND’s annual benefit is available at www.anewdirectionbmp.org. Tickets are $75 per person.
