Bags of Love is a ministry in central Vermont that provides essential items to foster families and children. Our mission is to help ease the transition for children entering foster care.
Each Bag of Love is a homemade duffle bag that contains a handmade quilt or blanket, personal care items, (diapers and wipes, shampoo…), toys, and a stuffed animal. The Bags are organized into 5 age categories: Birth-6 mo., 7-17 mo., 18 mo.-3 yrs., 4-7 yrs., 8-12 yrs., and 13-17 yrs. We even give a stuffed animal to our teens and have been told they enjoy receiving them!
The Barre/Montpelier Bags of Love group was founded in 2012 under the auspices of IMVO, (It’s My Very Own), which is a nation-wide ministry. Bags of Love has grown over the last 10 years from a group of 4 or 5 church members to a community-based resource that includes several quilt guilds and individuals from Randolph, Corinth, Waterbury, Barre, Montpelier and Williamstown.
Our group meets once a month in our workshop in Montpelier to load Bags, gather and organize donated items, sew, and enjoy each other’s company. Leahy Press in Montpelier generously provides our workshop space.
All of our materials and quilts are donated by members of the community and are stored in the Montpelier workshop. We also keep a set of Bags ready to replenish each DCF office’s supply as needed.
Recently we expanded our distribution to include the Lund Center in S. Burlington, Project Lioness, and children and families in our communities that have faced a personal crisis and are in need of comfort and support.
For more information on the Bags of Love in Barre/Montpelier feel free to contact Susan Lancey at gregandsue184@gmail.com.
Our chapter is registered with Its My Very Own at https://imvo.org.