The North Florida Sewing Center tries to be responsive to community as well as international needs. 

The first example was in 2020 when the global COVID pandemic had many of us producing face masks.  Our sewing center was deemed an essential business where volunteers could stop in to pick up prepared bags with enough pre-cut supplies to make masks.   In 12 months, 7,201 masks were produced that were used by local residents, donated to schools and hospital staff.   

In 2022, quilts were needed to help Ukrainian refugees. The sewing center collected 74 quilts to those lives were disrupted by war.

At the end of 2022, we began making quilts from the pieces of flannel that were not large enough for the menstrual pads.  Some of our North Florida Sewing Center volunteers are also members of quilting guilds. These leftover strips became part of our quilt as you go projects. We then graduated to making pieced tops. In our first year of quilt distribution (2023) 154 quilts were given to adults transitioning out of homelessness or in shelters as well as some smaller quilts given to children in the hospital (Shands – pediatric oncology and pediatric cardiology).  This is no longer a “special project” but a ministry of the North Florida Sewing Center.

In 2023, we had some special projects requested from agences in our community.

* Placemats and table runners for the Methodist Boys Home.  56 placemats and 7 table runners were made and donated.

*UF Shands Streetlight program to make 50 heating pads for children living with Sickle Cell Anemia.   These were made from cotton fabrics and filled with rice, which is microwaved.  The warm pads are soothing to those with painful joints.

• North Florida Sewing Center received requests for fidget mats from Haven Hospice and VITAS Hospice. Fidget mats are like busy boxes for babies but for patients with dementia. The Fidget mats contain all types of items - zippers, buttons, snaps, beads to elp keep hands busy.

In 2024, the Center donated 20 quilts for the Corner Drug Store (CDS) Family & Behavioral Health Services Interface Youth Shelter in NE Gainesville. 

We have an application available for nonprofits or government agencies to request special projects for sewing center volunteers to work on.  Each application is considered by the board of directors. Requests should be made at least two months before their anticipated need.  To apply please contact nfsewingcenter@gmail.com and we will mail your a request form.