Volunteer makes quilts for Harvest House guests

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New guests at the Harvest House Atlantic shelter in Moncton are getting comfy hand-made quilts, thanks to the efforts of volunteer Aline Breau, who has already made 23 quilts and plans to keep making them to help people in need.

“A lot of people who arrive here have next to nothing, so these quilts provide them with a sense of belonging,” said Marc Belliveau, executive director of Harvest House Atlantic, which operates a shelter, rehabilitation centre and long-term housing on High Street in downtown Moncton.

“I started making quilts five or six years ago,” said Breau, who is nearing 80 years of age. “One of my friends was a quilter and she moved away. She gave me a sewing machine, a table and a lot of material.”

She made 60 quilts for the House of Nazareth shelter on Albert Street last year, and then heard about the need for more quilts at Harvest House. She said it takes her 30 to 40 hours for each quilt, which basically makes it a volunteer full-time job.

“I have a large stockpile of material, but I still have to pay out of pocket for the quilt batting which goes inside,” she said. “I usually buy a whole bolt of 50 metres when it comes on sale at Fabricville.”

She said the last time she bought enough white batting to fill 20 quilts, the inside of her car looked like it was full of snow. She plans to make another batch of quilts later this month.

Breau said each quilt is unique because her stockpile of material has a wide range of colours and patterns, from solid reds, black and greens to snowflakes, flowers, birds, cars and animals like little bears in striped overalls. She usually starts with a queen or double-sized bed sheet and then cuts the material into different sized squares, which are then sewn together with the batting in the middle. She uses big tables to put them together, making sure to mix the colours and patterns.

She says they are warm, washable and welcoming for people coming off the cold and dangerous streets.

“I’ve got arthritis in my wrist but I’ll keep doing it as long as I can,” she said. “I could make another 20 in the next few months.”

Leon Baker, a member of the board of directors at Harvest House, said the quilts are a welcome donation that will make people feel welcome. The Humanity Project farm also provides quilts made by volunteers to people coming off the street and into transitional housing.

Baker said one of the missions of Harvest House Atlantic is to provide people with compassion and the quilts are a tangible example of that philosophy.

“People like you inspire us to do what we do every day,” Baker told Breau when she presented the quilts Thursday.

Harvest House Atlantic serves over 200 per day

Baker said Harvest House Atlantic services just over 200 “heads on beds” every night with the emergency homeless shelter, support services, men’s and women’s recovery programs, a new housing project on High Street with Rising Tide that was opened last year, and other sites around the city. Harvest House also serves approximately 600 meals per day.

Baker said the number of people seeking services has risen this winter, especially with seniors who can’t afford to keep up with inflation and find themselves homeless, and new immigrants who need assistance.

Harvest House Atlantic accepts donations to help care for clients. Those interested in making a donation may call 506-855-0626.