Frequently Asked Questions
Quilt requests should be submitted through this website, using our Quilt Request Form. Requests are processed by National volunteers and are then distributed to the appropriate branch
Yes. If a recipient lives close to a branch, the quilt will likely be hand-delivered. If the recipient lives in an area of Canada not covered by a branch, it will be mailed out.
Sorry but we only send quilts inside Canada.
That varies, based on the time of year, demand, etc, but please allow at least 4-6 weeks from time of request. If your request is more urgent, please mark that on the request form. We make every effort to address those even more promptly than usual.
We don’t normally mail quilts to hospitals, as they often do not get to the intended recipient, and we don’t ask our volunteers to deliver to hospital rooms.
No. Each quilt is personally requested by a friend or family member of a recipient, who knows if the recipient would welcome a quilt. Each quilt is handmade by a group of volunteers who donate their time and talents, and as a result, there is a limited supply of quilts available. Bulk requests tax the resources of our organization, and therefore the most effective use of those resources is to provide quilts directly to individuals living with cancer.
Sometimes our delivery drivers have trouble contacting the recipient (error in the transcription of the address or phone number, or recipient in hospital, or away on vacation, etc). In that case, the driver will contact the requestor to verify the recipient’s information. Also, some recipients are suspicious of a person offering an unsolicited gift of a quilt; therefore the driver may explain, saying that “your friend Jane, ordered this gift for you”.
No, VQC does not regift quilts. Hopefully, a member of the family will want to keep it, in memory of the loved one who used the quilt.
No. Victoria’s Quilts Canada makes all its quilts using new cotton fabric, batting and flannel.
Yes. VQC accepts donations of unused 100% cotton fabric, flannelette and batting. Please see the Donate Fabric page of this website.
Yes. Such donations support the work of VQC and are tremendously appreciated.
No. A great many of our donations are in memory of someone, and as we have a very small group of volunteers who handle donations and the associated paperwork, we do not have the resources to make such notifications. Also, since donations can go through various processing channels, the contact information of the family is usually not known by our volunteers. We encourage donors to notify the families directly.
However, any donations made on our website go through a third party, CanadaHelps. They handle our donations and also provide receipts directly to donors. If a donor requests it, and provides the email or mailing address for the family member they would like notified, Canada Helps will make that notification either via email or a physical card.
Yes. We give tax receipts for all financial donations of $20 or more.
No, we don’t recommend it. We have had instances where the funeral homes deal with a third party, often not in Canada, to process donations. They take significant processing fees. Secondly, when funds are collected by another organization and then passed along, we seldom receive the donor’s name, address, or donation amount, so we cannot generate tax receipts. If families are planning to direct donations to VQC in the obituary, it’s best for them to invite donors to visit www.victoriasquiltscanada.com, where charitable receipts are immediately generated and funds are promptly transferred to VQC.
The best way is to consider starting a Friends’ Group which would be affiliated with a branch that may be some distance away. They will help you get started. Every Friends’ Group is a little different, and is established to meet the needs of the group. Contact vqcdirectorofbranches@gmail.com for more information.
Yes, yes, yes. Each branch needs volunteers to help organize the group, or work on various branch tasks such as fabric washing, ironing, kit-making, fundraising, quilt delivery, finance and bookkeeping, and the list goes on. The management arm of VQC is National (located in Ottawa) and has a team of behind-the-scenes volunteers in a variety of fields, and none of those roles require the ability to quilt. For more details, please see the Volunteer page on this website or inquire at the branch closest to you.