Nothing is better than giving someone a gift you created with love. Recently when we decided to do a serger make & take project we wanted to have the ability to work with a charity as we know many of our amazing customers like to have the option to donate items they make to a good cause. That is why we chose to work with our local Ronald McDonald House in Seattle for our recent serger make & take projects of burp cloths.
On Saturday April 27, 2019 many of our stores hosted a serger event where our customers could come in and make a burp cloth using a serger. We provided all the materials, pattern and guidance needed to quickly and easily complete the project. Each person was given the option to take their completed project home or donate it to the Ronald McDonald House. From this one day event we were able to collect 60 burp cloths to donate. One generous customer even created nine of the most adorable bibs to donate as well. When we went to drop off the items for donation we were lucky enough to be able to tour their facility and learn more about what the Ronald McDonald House does for our community. We were so inspired by what we learned we wanted to share that with you.
Each night the Ronald McDonald house in Seattle houses 80 families that live 45 miles or more away from the hospital whose children are being treated at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Due to the varying types of illnesses the children are being treated for the average stay is typically between 70 - 80 nights. While there is a suggested donation of $30 a night to help with the facility costs, many families are not able to pay. However, even if they are not able to pay they are still welcome to stay as long as needed. Although RMDH has the ability to house so many families they still have a wait list of up to 50 families in need of a place to stay each night.
In addition to providing the families with private rooms that contain two beds and a bathroom the facility offers everything they might need during their stay. Community family rooms, a computer room, laundry facility, kitchens with locking mini fridges for each family, a game room, theater and even a teens only room are all part of the facility to help families maintain a sense of “normal” while away from home and their kids are undergoing treatment. As we toured the facility we were blown away to learn about everything that is offered to these families during their time of need and the amount of donations and volunteers it requires to keep the facility running especially the on-site community pantry. If parents have not had time to go to the store or don’t have the funds needed to buy groceries they can take what they need from the community pantry that is stocked from community donations.
The halls of the facility are decorated with the most amazing quilts that are made with love and donated by Block Party Quilters of Seattle. This group donates enough quilts that each child that comes to stay at the house is able to go into the quilt room and select a quilt of their own to keep. What an amazing gift for these kids who are dealing with so much.
We are so excited to have partnered with the Ronald McDonald House for this serger event and we are already planning future sewing events that will benefit those staying at the Ronald McDonald House. We hope you will join us in supporting this great organization and the families they are helping at our next sewing for a cause event! More details to come soon.
