Celebrating 20 years of quilting for a cause

This year, LiveDifferent proudly celebrates twenty years of dedicated volunteer efforts by a quilting group in Penticton, BC. These passionate women have provided warmth and comfort through handmade blankets to families in need in Baja California, Mexico.

Impact in Baja California

In the Baja region, temperatures can dip to 5 °C, and many families lack adequate housing and do not have heat. Roughly 1,000 handmade quilts have travelled the 2,400 km journey! Each quilt represents three to four hours of collaborative effort, crafted over coffee chats and shared stories.

Edna Hill, a founding member, shares, “I think it’s such a win-win for everybody when you can get together or use your hobbies, skills, social work, and friendships to change people’s lives. The magnitude of impact on the receiving end is incredible while you also have an impact here.”

Hill also reflects on the gratitude from the families in Mexico, “The gratitude. It’s not something you see here. It’s different. It’s a different kind of gratitude.”

Building relationships through service

LiveDifferent emphasizes the importance of building positive relationships within communities and with the families it serves. Gabe, a long-time quilting group member, says, “If you’ve got a good mission and your heart is in the right place, I think you should go for it.”

The quilting group’s acts of compassion and service have not only brought warmth and comfort to those in need but have also forged lifelong friendships among the volunteers.

“An added benefit of the group is that you actually form friendships,” says Gabe.

Looking ahead

As LiveDifferent celebrates this 20-year journey, it extends its deepest gratitude to the volunteers. Their commitment has brought warmth, joy, and security to numerous families in Mexico. CEO Charles Roberts remarks, “Packing up these quilts and ensuring they reach their new homes has always been profoundly moving. Each quilt delivers love and comfort to those who need it most.”

This year marks the final chapter for the quilting group as its members plan to pursue new passions within the community. The group’s legacy of creativity and dedication will undoubtedly inspire others, fostering new stories of support and engagement for LiveDifferent’s mission. By following their hearts, these quilters are paving the way for more impactful narratives, encouraging others to contribute to the causes close to their hearts as well.