This is the sewing machine was donated by Carolyn Smith of Ponca City, Oklahoma to Mercy Covers for their use. The new machine was put in my hands by Carolyn to ensure it reached Costa Rica so that Colleen Connell Mitchell would be able to present it to the group.
Mercy Covers was worked with local women in Costa Rica teaching them sewing skills and helping them make an income to assist their families by making products they sew then sell.
The fabric is also donated. Lynnette Grant and myself (Jillian Grant) have donated about 100 pounds of fabric, thread and supplies from our stashes and ensured these are received in Costa Rica. Colleen Connell Mitchell is a missionary who founded the Mercy Covers group and she has received the supplies and has organized the women in making quilts and products they can sell. One project was to provide quilts to a safe house and orphanage.
Our recent efforts to help Mercy Covers included the Quilt Raffle where money was raised and given to Mercy Covers to help them fund another project. The quilt was designed and pieced by myself then quilted by Phyllis Nickens and myself. Our goal help raise money and awareness for Mercy Covers and to assist them in their upcoming projects which include sewing blankets for the homeless in Costa Rica.
The Quilt Orchard will be involved in other efforts to put fabric and thread into the hands of other organizations in the near future. Our goal is to support non-profit agencies who work with women locally and abroad with learning the skill of sewing so that they can provide for themselves and others. We will continue to move donated fabric and sewing machines to these groups. Look for more to come.
