Over the summer an opportunity arose for us to receive a quite large donation of fleece from a woman who had a business making “no-sew” fleece blankets. You know the kind that has fringed edges that are tied together. We are quilters. We don’t “no-sew” anything! It took a few months but we did tie all of those blankets and threw in a dozen quilts of our own and headed over to Madonna House in Neptune City. Madonna House, founded and run by Rebecca Blonski, is dedicated to serving infants, children and women with basic needs such as clothing, diapers, toys and household items, free of charge. Women are referred, mostly from Jersey Shore University Medical Center just a stones throw away, to Madonna House for assistance. Everything there comes from donations of new or used in exceptionally good condition items and everyone who “works” there is a volunteer. There are 45 volunteers currently. Madonna House is also a thrift store, open to anyone. Items in the thrift store are priced extremely reasonably to afford everyone the opportunity to shop. Rebecca relies on donations of items to give away, as well as to sell in the store, volunteers, and faith. We had the opportunity to meet with her there and she gave us a tour and shared some very moving stories of how her faith has kept Madonna House going since 1987.
Our timing could not have been better because this year in addition to the holiday wishlist of toys that Madonna House fulfills, the children will be getting a new blanket also. It was wonderful to meet Rebecca and some of the team of volunteers and we’ll be looking for other opportunities to serve them. https://themadonnahouse.com/
Just a few days later, we were in Ocean Grove, gifting a quilt to Mary’s Place by the Sea. Mary ‘s Place is an absolutely stunning home in Ocean Grove, steps from the beach, where women with cancer and up to two years post treatment can come and stay for a two day retreat. Their stay includes a plant based diet, counseling, reiki massage geared towards oncology patients, yoga, and most importantly respite. All of this is at no cost to the women. Mary’s Place is funded by donations, fundraisings, and grants and like Madonna House made possible by an incredible team of volunteers. The women can take part in as much or as little of the offerings as they desire, they’re truly there for the respite and relaxation and they are literally waited on hand and foot in the most calming and serene atmosphere. Every guest has their own bedroom and bathroom with subtle beach vibes. When entering the building the first thing you see is an inviting, coastal feeling living room area with fireplace and dining room. That sets the tone for the rest of the house. The second story boasts a full porch complete with rocking chairs and an unobstructed view of the ocean. There are also opportunities for local women undergoing or up to two years post treatment to take advantage of the services Mary’s Place has to offer, at no cost.
This March, Mary’s Place will be celebrating their 15th anniversary with a fundraising event. The JSMQG is delighted to be able to gift this quilt for their event.
This is not our first experience with Mary’s Place, we’ve made two substantial quilt donations for the women to enjoy as well. We will continue to make quilts for the ladies who stay at Mary’s Place.
JERSEY SHORE MODERN QUILT GUILD 