An Invitation to Donor Families

Southern Eye Bank, the non-profit organization that recovered your loved one’s ocular tissue, invites donor families to participate in the making of our Donor Family Quilt.  Dedicated to the legacy of eye donors, each quilt square is a symbol of love and life.  You are encouraged to write a story about the meaning of your quilt square and your experience as you created it.  Please limit the size of your story to one side of an 8”x 10” page, as they will be compiled into an album called “Letters from the Quilt.”

The completed quilts and the accompanying “Letters from the Quilt” album will travel throughout Louisiana to help share the message of eye donation and the precious Gift-of-Sight.

You may either mail your quilt square to Southern Eye Bank or deliver it to our office. If you need assistance, it may be possible for our volunteers to help you create the square. Simply call us and let us know how you wish it should be designed. Most families want to create the squares themselves; however, we know that some of our families do not have access to the items that are necessary such as material, embroidery machines, sewing items, etc.

After we have received enough squares to complete a quilt, volunteers will lovingly arrange and hand-piece the squares together.

The quilt square should be 9”x 9”, with the actual design contained within an 8”x 8” space.  This will leave a ½” seam allowance on each side of the square for sewing.  Use fabric paints, markers, thread or any other fabric-compatible medium to design the square.  The quilt square fabric and fabric mediums should be able to tolerate dry-cleaning.  If you wish, you may include the name of your loved one and dates of birth and/or death.  Please do not finish the quilt square with quilting or backing materials, since our volunteers will perform this step.

There is no deadline, as our quilt is never finished.  One seam is always left open to allow new families a chance to participate. 

Southern Eye Bank is looking forward to receiving the quilt squares. Additional information about the Donor Family Quilt can be obtained by calling our office at 504-891-3937 or 337-781-8302.