A Thread of Love: Quilts Bring Warmth and Joy to Passavant Community Residents

It wasn’t a headline-grabbing moment. Just a quiet delivery to Passavant Community of something hand-stitched, heartfelt, and beautiful.

Three full-size quilts and three lap quilts, each one vibrant with colors and lovingly stitched by hand, were donated to residents of Allegheny and Larkspur households. The full-size quilts will now grace residents’ beds, replacing standard bedspreads with something that feels a little more like home. The lap quilts will accompany residents during transport to and from activities at the Abundant Life Center—a journey now made a little warmer and comforting.

Behind this generous act is Claudia Porter, a professional quilt designer known online as Create with Claudia. Claudia has spent years producing quilts for tutorials, pattern-making, and online instruction.  With storage space running low and a growing collection of finished quilts, she made a decision that speaks to her heart: If she couldn’t keep them, she wanted them to bring joy elsewhere.

Claudia’s connection to the Passavant Community is personal. Her mother, Gisela Mitchell, is currently a resident at Newhaven Court, and her late father, Richard Mitchell, was also part of the community.

This donation isn’t Claudia’s first act of generosity to Lutheran SeniorLife; she has previously donated quilts to the Lutheran SeniorLife Foundation’s Annual Event.

More than just beautiful objects, these quilts are stitched with sentiment.

“They are both beautifully crafted and designed with bright, cheerful colors,“ said Sherri Whalen, SilverSmart Program Coordinator, after seeing them. “I think our residents will love them.”

Thanks to Claudia, several Passavant Community residents are now wrapped in more than thread and fabric. They are wrapped in kindness and love.