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Community Service

A million thanks to the 61 NeedleChasers who gathered on Valentine’s Day, 2024 for our annual Quilt-A-Thon to create TWELVE incubator covers for the George Washington Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Pictured below, these cheerful mini works of art will go a long way to brightening the atmosphere in the NICU and bring a personal touch to the families that visit their little ones at this stressful time in their lives. NeedleChasers members sewed for months to cut, piece, quilt, and then finally assemble these gifts. We have a generous Community of quilters who give of their skills and themselves again and again in service to others.



     
     
                                Fiesta                               Here Kitty, Kitty                    Hungry Catepillar
                                    Polly                                  Rainbows                                     Tucan

                                  Little Things 1                                  Little Things 2
   
                                                                                                                The covers delivered

A GW Hospital NICU member receives two of our 12 incubator covers with evident joy!

 
Never resting on past accomplishments,  NeedleChasers have already begun the process of creating FIFTEEN (15) new incubator covers for the University of Maryland NICU.  Join us for our Cut-A-Thon on March 27th with rotary cutter in hand or learn to use our Guild AccuCutter at 10am and stay for lunch!

We came together “virtually” at our 1st Zoomed Quilt A Thon on July 8, 2020 to create beautiful Quilt Tops for two different Community Service Organizations. Ultimately, more than 75 NeedleChasers spent their time sewing, basting, quilting and binding 74 exquisite quilts.  None contributed more than the WeeBees of NCCC who hand tied so many of the children’s quilts. 

Eighteen (18) twin-sized quilts, six (6) lap quilts, twenty-four (24) placemats, and thirty (30) pillowcases were given to Becky's House (Rockville) and Priscilla's House (Gaithersburg) that are part of the Interfaith Works Women’s Organization (https://www.iworksmc.org/about-us/programs/interfaith-works-womens-center/).  Becky’s and Priscilla’s House are programs that offer permanent supportive housing for vulnerable women, providing 24-hour support through Residential Coordinators, Medication Supervisors, and a full time Case Manager. These facilities provide a home-like environment where the residents can stay for many years. Since they house up to 8 women in each program, through the incredible generosity of NeedleChasers we were able to give each woman their own new quilt as the winter months approach.

 

 

Fifty (50) child-themed smaller quilts were delivered to Comfort Cases (https://www.comfortcases.org) whose mission it is to give children in the Foster Care System a sense of dignity by providing simple belongings (that include a blanket/quilt) in a backpack they can call their own.

The members of NeedleChasers of Chevy Chase have always held a core value of Community Service.  We have donated hundreds of quilts to not-for-profit organizations as well as volunteering to share our expertise at many varied public events from the National Park Service to the Smithsonian. 

We strive to provide many ongoing opportunities for members to be involved in giving back to the community through quilting.  We try to have projects at every meeting for members to take home or work on at our Sewing Bees (4th Wednesday of the month) at the NCCC Church.

It is our goal to have Community Service project kits available to members at all times.  Kits include breast cancer pillows, small quilts for children, pillowcases and other kits for future donations.  If you'd like to offer your help or know of other community organizations that could use our assistance, please contact our Community Service Coordinator, Debbie Lamb-Mechanick.

 
      


 Wee Bees 

Past Quilt-A-Thons


Every year NeedleChasers come together.......

  • To create 18-20 quilts for a local, community-based organization in a marathon sewing session.
  • Prior recipients include: IONA Senior Center, HSC Pediatrics, Children's National Medical Center Outpatient Hemodialysis Unit Stepping Stones, Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.