LWR Quilts and kits needed: Worldwide requests continue to increase

Baltimore, March 28, 2008 — As the intensity of humanitarian needs increases worldwide, the requests from Lutheran World Relief partner organizations for quilts, kits, layettes, and soap have also been on the rise.

"Last year showed a significant increase in the number of quilts requested by our partners — 452,870, the most we distributed in a year since 1999," said Trevor Knoblich, LWR's program associate for material resources. Knoblich manages the warehouse inventories of quilts, kits, and layettes, and works with LWR's partner organizations in shipping the items to their final destinations.

"In 2008, requests have increased even further for quilts and kits of all types," Knoblich said. "So our current inventories are not able to meet the needs expressed by our overseas partners. We'll need many more quilts and kits to fulfill the requests we've received already, plus the other requests that are sure to come."

"When it comes to making quilts and assembling kits and layettes, the generosity of U.S. Lutherans is unstoppable," said Brenda Meier, LWR's director for parish and community engagement. "That's why we're putting out the call for more quilts and kits, confident that they will respond."

"Even a few more quilts or kits from each congregation already making them would be significant," said Meier. "Even better, if congregations not already involved would start a group to make quilts or kits, our inventories would increase to meet the demands from our partners."

"Assembling school, health, or sewing kits is a great activity for youth groups, confirmation classes, Sunday school classes," said Meier. "It's a great way to nurture community within a congregation, and also strengthen a connection to the global community. Making kits and quilts can even be a great family project; it's a good lesson in compassion and sharing for children," she added.

Currently, LWR has several shipments requested from partners responding to humanitarian needs in Africa, Latin America, and Asia:

Mauritania is expecting refugees who were expelled in 1989-1990 to Senegal and Mali, to begin returning; quilts, health kits and school kits will help families reintegrate into their lives in their homeland and continue with their children's education.

Uganda is bracing for an influx of refugees due to the ongoing violence in Kenya. Health kits, school kits, sewing kits, and soap will equip refugee camps with supplies to respond to the needs of the newly arriving refugees.

Thailand receives an annual shipment of quilts and layettes for camps housing Burmese refugees. Cold, damp conditions in the camps, located in remote mountainous regions of Thailand, make the warmth of a quilt comforting and life-saving.

Azerbaijan struggles with supporting large populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who live in cold conditions with limited access to food and water. Quilts will help keep people warm and provide a handmade gift they can cherish. Sewing kits provide an opportunity to make clothes to wear or sell.

Peru's impoverished families will be comforted and encouraged by quilts, health kits, and school kits as part of an annual shipment from Lutheran World Relief.

Instructions for making quilts, kits, or layettes are available on the LWR Web site at www.lwr.org/parish. Please consider helping us meet this growing need around the world!