When the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, the Mission of Love in Austintown was already gearing up to help. Mission of Love Director Kathy Price put the word out to supply warmth to those left homeless in the aftermath.
“In the past, we have partnered with eQuilter.com to hand deliver 3,000 quilts to the survivors of 9/11 in New York,” said Price. “We hand-delivered quilts to the survivors of Katrina, in which the recipients literally fell in my arms after receiving them. Our Haitian orphans now have a quilt to call their own.”
Now that partnership has again been awakened and Price is planning a flight to Japan to carry quilts. She said the idea of sending a blanket is considered an honor by Native Americans.
“My Native American friends taught me that to give a quilt is to show the utmost respect, honor and admiration to a person,” Price said.
The intent is to send an airlift of medical, education and basic needs supplies to the people of Japan. Price hopes to add quilts to that list that will be flown on military aircraft using the Denton program.
Price put the word out and through the partnership with eQuilter.com, the response has been overwhelming. Still, there are those who wish to send quilts and Price requests they be sent direct to the Mission of Love, 2054 Hemlock Court, Youngstown, Ohio 44515.
“Please understand that for a grassroots organizations to run a project of this size, there is no person who is going to send you a confirmation of receipt. If you wish to confirm receipt, then you must send the quilt(s) with a tracking number for yourself,” Price said.
At the present time, Price is preparing the paperwork for the flight. She hopes to have it on its way within a month and she is working with Luana Rubin from eQuilters,com, who is doing her share on the West Coast. In a letter to Price, Rubin said things are coming together on her end.
“On behalf of our customers and friends who wish to help the people of Japan, we accept this challenge and will join you on this relief project,” Rubin said. “The commander of a west coast Air Force base has agreed to help us ship the relief supplies and quilts to Japan, but there are still many expenses related to this project.”
She said eQuilter will invest in much of the expenses, but it will still not be enough to add more crucial medical supplies to the shipment. There is still a need for funding and anyone can donate by going to www.missionoflove.org.
“Know that this is not only my Mission of Love but it is everyone's mission in life to have compassion and love in their hearts for our fellow men,” Price said. “Please consider this worthy mission of love to help heal the children and people of Japan and let them know that we are thinking of them in this time of need.”
