With much work to be done in 2023, the Stony Brook Stitchers are eager to welcome new volunteers to help provide comfort to hospital patients.

Founded in December 2008, the Stitchers has branches based on each side of campus. Melissa Shampine heads up the volunteers on the hospital side of Stony Brook, and Jan Tassie serves as the team leader for the university side. Volunteers include staff, faculty, students and community members who share a passion for creating handmade items for patients. The group accepts donations of lap blankets, prayer shawls, preemie and newborn hats, quilts, pediatric surgical caps, infant demise wraps, memory pouches and other items.

The hospital recently gave the approval to start accepting handcrafted items again after restrictions were put in place during the COVID pandemic, and the Stitchers have hit the ground running. Tassie stressed that all donated items are professionally laundered before they are given to patients.

“We have been busy accepting donations and getting them to the patients,” added Tassie. “Our loyal volunteers have been getting in touch with us and have been making beautiful donations. We have also started receiving donations from high school students and Girl Scout troops who have been making the cutest baby hats and blankets as part of their community service requirements. There are so many patients in need.”

For more information on the Stony Brook Stitchers, visit their website at stonybrookstitchers.com.

Here is the post on SBU News: https://news.stonybrook.edu/university/join-the-stony-brook-stitchers/