THE STORY OF THE WELCOME QUILTS
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Welcome Quilt Project is a partnership that includes Voices from the Border, a non-profit organization based in Patagonia and Gale Hall, a retired early childhood educator, quilter and creator of the Welcome Quilt idea. Voices serves migrants and asylum seekers waiting in Nogales, Mexico for entry into the US by providing safe housing, medical care and other basic necessities. On the US side of the border, Voices engages in “creative activism” using the arts as a vehicle to build understanding and empathy about the lived experience of migration. In this case, the art form is quilts.
OUR MISSION
The Welcome Quilt mission is to counteract messages of hate and fear directed towards migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the US with those of hope and welcome from Americans of all ages and to display these powerful, positive messages as quilted works of art in public spaces around the country.
WHAT IS A WELCOME QUILT?
A Welcome Quilt aims to counter messages of hate and fear directed to those new to the United States with words of hope and welcome. These reflections are hand drawn by people across the country and then sewn together by quilters. We at the Welcome Quilt Project have been distressed to witness how the dangerous and dishonest comments made by politicians about people who are immigrating to the US have impacted our local communities. Since those politicians don’t speak on our behalf, we felt led to initiate a heart-centered response to Springfield that begins in Patagonia, AZ.
Why quilts, you may wonder? Quilts represent safety and security, softness and warmth. What better way to welcome a new friend! Our intention is to wrap the Springfield community and its new Haitian neighbors in a warm embrace of love. The quilts that we have sent you are a gift from us; the Patagonia community, Voices from the Border and our team.
We see you and we support you.
Contact Us
To find out how to create a Welcome Quilt that can be displayed in your local community center, hospital, school or college campus, food bank, church, or library, please fill out the contact form here or email Gale Hall at welcomehomequilts@gmail.com