Excerpts from an essay written by Maria June 22, 2008 Baby Threads: A Helping Hand Millions of people wake up in a comfortable bed every morning, have a hot shower, eat a filling breakfast and go to their jobs. There they earn the money to feed, house, and clothe themselves and their families. What about the many people in this country that wake up and do not know where to find food, or how they will be able to find clothes for their children? In New Hampshire there is help for families such as these. A source of this help comes in the form of a local charity called Baby Threads. Many miracles are wrought through the selfless service of its founders and volunteers. In a world where many are wanting and funds for help are short, it is important to know that the donated money is going to be used to help others. Anyone who chooses to donate to Baby Threads can be sure every dollar given to Baby Threads is a guarantee that someone will be helped. Dorothy Foley and her daughter, Bonnie Champagne, formed Baby Threads in Dorothy’s basement. During the Kosovo crisis quilts were made for the refugees fleeing Kosovo. After that project was completed they, along with other volunteers, wanted to make quilts to help others. Dorothy took a couple of quilts to local pregnancy centers to see if they could be used. What they found out shocked them. Some mothers had nothing to bring their children home from the hospital in. From that point on, Baby Threads with all of its volunteers got to work. Quilts were made and new and gently used baby clothes were found. The items would be placed in a tote bag with a quilt or afghan. The bags would be given to hospitals and pregnancy centers to be distributed to needy mothers. Unfortunately, there are other needs to be met in the community. Baby Threads helps furnish children with warm winter gear. There are children that would not have backpacks for school if Baby Threads didn’t supply them with one. One of the great things about Baby Threads isn’t just that they do these wonderful projects, but that they pay attention to details. The backpacks that are given are not given empty; they are filled with school supplies. Another need that they try to fill is helping the homeless. Hygiene kits are put together to help the homeless to be able to keep themselves clean. Homeless children suffer as well. Sometimes they have nothing that belongs just to them. Baby Threads has provided hundreds of quilts for the homeless. These precious children benefit from this by having something that is theirs to keep them warm. Joyce Bernier works to help the people in the Lancaster New Hampshire area. Baby Threads works with her to help the people in that area. Over 1000 families in Lancaster have been helped through the services of Baby Threads. Baby Threads has contributed in many ways. Just a few of these ways include: assistance with fire victims, assistance with nursing home residents, personal care items, household items, and clothing This organization can do all it can do because it is funded on all volunteer efforts. Baby Threads makes a difference to all that are touched by it. The givers and the receivers are both benefited. The volunteers are able to reach out and use their talents to bless the lives of others. If there was ever a charity to donate to, this would be the one because everyone who gives clothes, household items, or money can be assured that their donations are going to help others. Hard times can come to anyone, so it is good to know that there is a group ready and willing to help those in distress.