Quilts For Kids Founder Named 'Hometown Hero' In Lower Bucks

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA —Linda Arye has seen her Quilts for Kids organization amass a nationwide following. Now she has made a name for herself.

The Yardley resident has been selected as a "Hometown Hero" by U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick for her work as the founder of the Fairless Hills-based international non-profit Quilts for Kids.

"Please join me in applauding Linda for her outstanding service and inspirational efforts," Fitzpatrick said. He has introduced H.R. 5405, the Fairness for Kids with Cancer Act, which will help in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Two decades ago, while shopping at a local fabric store, Arye discovered more than 5,000 lbs. of materials destined for a landfill.

Thinking of when her 4-year-old daughter was in the hospital, sick, scared, and without the comfort of her favorite bear due to possible allergen contamination, Arye was inspired to put the fabric to good use.

After a weeklong effort of hauling the fabric from the store to her home, she got to work bringing her idea to fruition.

Through research, Arye found patchwork quilts would be strong enough to withstand the rigors of hospital laundering and knew it could provide much-needed comfort to scared children in hospitals.

Arye and a small group of dedicated volunteers would work tirelessly to source materials, create quilts, and deliver them to children in local hospitals & organizations.

Their touching and uplifting efforts quickly became a fan favorite among doctors, nurses, parents, and especially the young recipients.

Quilts for Kids soon amassed a nationwide following.

Today, in addition to the Bucks County headquarters, Quilts for Kids has established more than 90 chapters across the United States and Canada and has distributed more than 600,000 quilts to children in our community and across the globe.

Beyond comforting children facing illness, trauma, abuse, and even those impacted by natural disasters, Quilts for Kids has saved millions of pounds of fabric from heading to landfills.

Arye has set the goal to donate more than 30,000 quilts yearly and expand the organization's reach to provide additional resources of comfort and support to children in need.

What began as a small, heartfelt initiative to make a positive impact has touched the lives of thousands of children in our community and across the country.