Sewing rag quilts has always brought Antioch’s Allison Norris peace. She had once thought of selling the quilts, but she quickly grew tired of the idea.

Around the same time, friends at church started asking her to make quilts for those who were sick. Now years later, she has given away more than 800 quilts, which all started with an anonymous gesture.

“On Oct. 30th, 2013, I received a sewing machine on my doorstep from an anonymous person. I couldn’t believe it,” Norris said.

She remembers that, at the same time, she had wanted to sew Christmas rag quilts for each of her six kids. Several years before, Norris had a severe stroke and does not have full use of her right hand, leg or right side, which makes sewing quilts challenging.

“Sewing quilts had been a dream of mine for quite a while,” she said. “With the help of a couple of friends who answered my questions and watching YouTube videos, I learned to sew simple rag quilts.”

Before she knew it, she was getting quilt requests from many people she didn’t know. Even so, she felt that creating something to make someone feel better, especially when facing her own challenges, was fulfilling.

A few years later, she made her first significant donation of 50 quilts. This donation was made to a group her daughter was involved in called Camp Krem, an All Abilities Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains.

“It was there that I started making special lap quilts that would fit in wheelchairs, along with large twin-sized quilts that campers used for comfort in the cool mornings,” she said. “Sadly, this beautiful special-needs camp was lost in the fires of 2020.”

Many requests continued to funnel in. Norris said she was sending the requested quilts to kids with cancer, veterans and people in hospice.

“I was now making and donating 100 quilts per year,” she said.

In 2020 Norris started “Snug As A Bug,” a program that provides comfort bags, which include her quilts, to children in need. The bags usually contain books, toys, and personal care items. Donations have gone to John Muir Medical Center’s children’s unit and the pediatric infusion center.

Norris also donates quilts to the Foster Youth and Homeless Advocacy Department at the Antioch Unified School District and the Antioch Police Department. So far this year, she has donated 141 bags through her “Snug As A Bug” program.

With Ukrainian children in crisis, Norris wanted to send her comfort bags to Ukraine.

“I met with the Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch, and they supported my hopes and paid for bags to be shipped and made a generous matching donation to the Children’s Fund for Ukraine,” she said. “We were able to send 31 bags to Ukraine, and I gained a tremendous group of supporters who believe in me. I’d also like to thank the Oakley Lions Club, which also donated.”

Norris said that her next goals are to offer her bags to surrounding police departments and school districts to reach more children in need. Ultimately, she wants to bring hope and unity to the people of our community.

“I am an example of just an ordinary person who nearly failed sewing in junior high. I’ve had challenges and losses in my life, but none of that matters when you find a purpose in your life,” she said. “Over 300 bags have been given out to people I’ve never met in places I’ve never been.”

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.