The charitable organization Wrap Ukraine With Quilts has been collecting donations of quilts to be shipped to Ukrainian refugees since the end of March.  To date, the organization has collected over 5,600 quilts, with at least 60 of them coming from Malad, according to Carrie Hess, who has been taking local donations at Allen Drug.  

Gina Halladay, daughter of Gene and Kay Caldwell, was initially inspired to take up the quilt donation drive after seeing reports of refugees fleeing Ukraine. 

“We felt inspired to do something and wanted to let these Ukrainian families know that we see and care about them,” Halladay said.  She and her friend Beth Hawkins decided to put another project they were developing on hold in order to turn their attention to what they saw as a more pressing need.  Together with Gina’s husband Hal they founded "Wrap Ukraine With Quilts" in mid-March.  Since then, they have been overwhelmed and gratified by the generosity and dedication of quilters from across the country.  The donations have primarily come from northern Utah, where the organization was founded, but interest in the project has spread widely in the meantime.  As of last report, the group has received quilts from 35 states, and from quilting organizations all around the country.

Gina and Beth both have a great deal of experience in the world of quilting and quilters, having operated a number of businesses in the area.  In this case, they decided to turn that expertise to a cause.  “Gina and I started talking, and we knew that we could do something to send them some comfort and show that we care about them. We decided to collect and send the unique gift of a homemade quilt. We know quilters. Quilters are givers,” said Beth Hawkins. 

Initially, the group started with small social media posts explaining the idea, and sent out email requests to friends and others in the quilting community.  The small idea has turned into an impressive operation, with hundreds of quilts a month being donated.

As the pair explain, they asked a friend if he could quickly build them a landing page for their website www.wrapukrainewithquilts.com. He suggested creating a way to register the quilts with a QR code. A quilt maker may register their quilt on the website, then print a page which contains the quiltmaker’s name and location, a short message to the recipient, and a QR code. The quilt maker then can attach it to the quilt before sending.

“When we receive the quilt, we scan the QR code and let the quilt maker know we have received their quilt. We inventory the quilts and get them to refugees very quickly through our team of volunteers who hand deliver them to refugees in Poland. We have also partnered with the charity Lifting Hands International, who sends cargo planes of supplies, including our quilts, to Ukrainian refugees every two weeks,” said Beth Hawkins.

The QR code allows recipients of the quilts to send messages back to the makers of the quilts after they receive it.  “Making that personal connection between quilt maker and quilt receiver has been an awesome thing to see,” Hawkins said.  Quilters have received back messages, social media contacts, and pictures of family members wrapped in the quilts.

The website contains a “live quilt counter” which displays the number of quilts received and sent through the organization, which plans to continue accepting donations throughout the year.

Quilts have also been gathered directly by Gene and Kay Caldwell, including a large number from Logan and other surrounding areas.  Locally, quilts can also be dropped off at Allen Drug to Carrie Hess. 

The Director of Utah’s Lifting Hands International Traci Parson explained that “quilts and blankets are high on the list of items needed and requested by Ukrainian refugees.”  At present, international aid organizations estimate that almost 13 million people have been displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war, most of whom have not left the country.  Of those that have, many have made their way to Poland, where the quilt distribution primarily takes place.  In situations where individuals have experienced a massive loss of personal security, clean clothing and bedding items are among the most important articles in restoring some sense of safety to them.  

The pair will be visiting Poland from July 8 through 16 to hand deliver quilts in person.