RAISING AWARENESS FOR TNDC

Cindy Dawson, Development and Volunteer Partnerships

                             Antoinette Difelice, Intern


TNDC stands for The Next Door Chattanooga

The Next Door Chattanooga offers a unique program in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Corrections. Women served by The Next Door in the Chattanooga area are currently incarcerated and receive short-term transitional services that are rooted in evidence-based practices to address the needs of the women.

Within months of release from incarceration, women are transported from prison to The Next Door Chattanooga’s Correctional Release Center.  While at the Correctional Release Center, women work toward gaining job and life skills that will assist in a productive re-entry into society.  This Correctional Release Center is the first of its kind for the State of Tennessee and Department of Corrections, and is designed to equip these women for independent living, free from drug and alcohol abuse.
http://www.thenextdoor.org/locations/chattanooga/

I have had the opportunity to coordinate two events to raise awareness and funds for The Next Door Chattanooga this year.  This past week in celebration of AQS QuiltWeek Chattanooga we hung the Community Quilt Show: "A 4-Patch Celebration" at Hamilton Place Mall and hosted the VIP Block Party.

We had great sponsors for this event:

Wonderful quilters who shared their quilts with us for the whole month.

We had super food vendors for our tasting:  Chicken Salad Chick, Bar Louis, and Firebirds.  Tennessee Wineries furnished the wine.

The Viewer's Choice Award went to #13 "Sunrise Sunflower", an original design Art Quilt, made by Jackie Cory.

Left to right:  Sandi Suggs, Event Coordinator; Jackie Cory, Quilt Artist;  Linda Meck, Event Volunteer; and Catharine Wells, Hamilton Place Mall Marketing Director.

 Thanks to all of the wonderful quilters, their families, and friends of the quilting community for making it possible for us to raise

$3000 for The Next Door Chattanooga!!!

Left to right:  Sandi, Event Coordinator, presenting a check to  Becky Phelps,  Regional Director, East Tennessee; and Cindy Dawson, Development and Volunteer Partnerships , The Next Door Chattanooga.
                                         -sandi

PLANNING OUR QUILT SHOW

April and May have been very busy months for me. This is the first of several posts.  Early in April we started work on the 2015 Community Quilt Show, "A 4-Patch Celebration" which will be held for the month of September at Hamilton Place Mall, Chattanooga.  The quilts will be on display in the Center Court for shoppers and visitors to view.
My job has been to get our sponsors together and to get the word out for Call for Quilts.  We have some awesome sponsors of this event who will be providing many door prizes for us to give.

To request an entry form, email me at fun2qlt@gmail.com

Our VIP Block Party is an after-hours event as part of AQS QuiltWeek Chattanooga.  
Last year's event was a lot of fun and this year we will have two Viewer's Choice Awards.
Tickets will be available for a donation to sample tastings from area restaurants.
Donations will be accepted to get tickets for our door prizes.
Our efforts will raise money for The Next Door Chattanooga.
www.thenextdoor.org


-sandi