Comforts for Children

Feedback to CFC

From: Rick Bannerman
To: "parish5621@comcast.net"
Date: May 13, 2018 at 1:41 PM
Subject: Comforts

Hi.

My name is Rick Bannerman, and my parents were Ray and Jane Bannerman.

In honor of her, I wrote the following on Facebook for a group of friends. I thought others in the CFC family might be interested, of how people they might not even know about continue the memories building on their efforts.

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Mother passed in 1993 and this is the first written recounting of it I've done. When Mother quit smoking a few years prior, she wore out decks of cards playing solitaire, so began quilting. Ultimately a pastime became a passion. She helped to start Comforts for Children - a group that created quilts for firemen and cops and social workers and others to give a quilt to displaced or injured children. On the website comforts for children dot com, tonight I read that from 1991 through April 2018 32,928 Quilts were made & collected and 32,669 of those have been distributed. I'm VERY proud of my mother's legacy right through to today.
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Of course, if you feel it worthy, you may quote it on your website.

Best wishes,

Rick Bannerman

To: parish5621@comcast.net
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2017 9:35:44 AM
Subject: We received a quilt...6 years ago

Hi Mary!! I was cuddling with my daughter just this morning and we were reminiscing about the quilt we were laying with. So I flipped it over and I read the trademark “Comforts For Kids”, and I knew we needed to send a note.

About 5-6 years ago, my little girl, Emma, was attacked by a dog and needed to get stitches in her face. While we were at the hospital, one of the nurses came by and said she had something for us and would be right back. She came back with a popsicle, and this amazing quilt!! Even at that moment, when she told us that the blanket was donated, I mentioned how amazing it is for someone to spend their own time to help someone else in such a rough time, and not even know just how much they are helping.

So here we are, about 6 years later, and we still love that quilt and we still think about how amazing it is to know that people out there care, in the most self-less ways, and I just need you all to know how much we appreciate you. Thank you so much for your kindness, your time, your generosity, your caring hearts, and thank you for making these quilts. You are all amazing!! And so are your quilts!!

I’ve attached a morning photo of my little girl, Emma, all cuddled with her quilt. I wanted to show you the little girl you’ve helped, because she is just one of many kids you are reaching out to.

Thank you so much, all of you!!!!

Our thanks to the people of Healthy Start who surprised us with this poster in October 2009
at a Thursday work session.

Also in October 2009 we received the card below from a grateful foster mom.

A woman who had been a foster child grew up to become a foster parent and adopted one of the foster children. The child, a boy, is an adult now, and still treasures his CFC quilt.

"Recently our family has been torn apart by sexual abuse. My sweet, six-year-old daughter who is affected with mental retardation was the victim. Going for the exam was scary and difficult. She absolutely loves the blanket you gave her. She carries it everywhere, spreads it on the floor, wraps herself in it, sleeps with it and shows it to everyone who will look. It has truly been a comfort for her. Thank you for taking time to make quilts for hurting kids. It's really sweet."

"I am a foster mom. Just recently we had a 2 week old baby girl placed with our family. A foster care representative brought us a beautiful pink quilt for her to have always as her baby blanket! I just want to express my thanks and appreciation to the women who make these quilts for these special children! I use it all the time. It's soft and warm to wrap her in. We are enjoying her stay with us so much. I do appreciate everyone's efforts and want you to know she is using the enjoying the quilt."

When 10 homeless families showed up at Wesley United Methodist Church for their first night of sleeping there as part of the Interfaith Emergency Shelter (St. Vincent DePaul) Program, each child got a small handmade quilt to keep. "Those kids just loved those quilts. They like to hold onto them and carry them around," Eve Powers said. "It's the kind of thing that warms your heart but breaks your heart at the same time. This is the best present my child has ever gotten," one of the mothers said. (from Don Bishoff's column, The Register-Guard, 11-18-1992)

"I'm in shelter care now, it is scary, and I want you to know I think what you are doing is wonderful. I would love to have a quilt, and I wouldn't care what kind it is, because it shows someone cares." (7th grade girl)

"Thank you so much for speaking to my class at Roosevelt Middle School on December 14, 1992. The kids were so excited about your program several planned to make quilts during vacation, and one even stayed after school on Friday to finish a sampler and plan her quilt." (Lee Wiley, teacher)

"We wish that each quilter could see the look on the children's faces when they are told that they can pick out a quilt of their own to keep forever. They cling to their quilts, not wanting to let go of them to play or eat." (Womenspace spokesperson)

"An infant, quite ill, came into foster care almost totally unresponsive to her surroundings until given a quilt. Bonding was almost immediate, with the child beginning to babble and point to the colorful blocks and images in an animated way. The baby is thriving now."

A big, strapping, 14 year old boy had to be asked to leave Looking Glass Station 7 because he would not stop his abusive language. A week later he called to say he was coming back to get his quilt. He stayed and behaved.

"At risk parents are so touched upon receiving a homemade quilt for their baby that they cry, and are more receptive to learning the parenting, job, and budget skills from their caseworkers."

"I was once in the Womenspace shelter as a victim of abuse. The help I received turned my life around, and I made a promise to return the favor. Now here I am 2000 miles away starting a project to help women and children in this community and find an article about your project and how it is blessing the lives of women to whom I am indebted."

This page was last updated 2018-06-10.