Most of you know the story of how Paul and I started eQuilter in the basement of our house. Within 60 days we had exceeded our 3 year business plan, moving to 4000 sq ft, then 11,000 sq ft, and finally expanding to our current 15,000 sq ft.
Our reputation in the industry comes from many things, but part of it is that we use our company as a way to help others.
Starting with 9/11, we have collected and distributed over 10,000 of your donated quilts.
We have donated a percentage of sales to charity from our first year of business, and the total distributed is over $1.2 million.
Last summer I was invited to meet Pres. Jimmy Carter because of our charity work, at a retreat for their Carter Center which has a worldwide mission to bring peace, justice and medical relief to developing countries.
Because of the eQuilter charity program, I’ve met ambassadors from the UN, US, Canada and Ghana. I’ve hung out with surgeons and photographed cleft lip/palate surgeries. I’ve had dinner with NASA rocket scientists and astronauts. All because of YOU, so I share all of those moments with you, with humble gratitude.
In addition to our formal charity program, I try to add in charitable giving when I travel to developing countries, often in partnership with our charity program partners like Mission of Love.
It has been an amazing journey, and for those of you who have been friends and customers over the years, I hope you have felt like you were included in these adventures, as I have personally gifted many of your beautiful donated quilts to those so deeply in need. That’s how I got the nickname “Quilt Fairy”.
Here is a scrapbook collage of many of those trips, which would not have been possible without the support of my husband and partner Paul, my patient kids and our stellar staff, and most importantly all of you who have supported eQuilter and our charity program over the years. THANK YOU!
Photo clockwise from top left:
School for street children in India with Pam Holland, Cleft Lip/Palate surgery trip in Guatemala City, Guatemalan orphan, Sophie’s quilt for Haiti earthquake victims, TecPan Orphanage in Guatemala, Beijing orphanage.
