502 Acts of Kindness

On December 18, 2018 a cancer patient named Alma put on a cap crochet by a woman named Anne. Alma was moved to tears because a total stranger had spent hours praying and crocheting something to ease her suffering as she battled her cancer. Ann was moved to tears because this brave cancer patient reminded her of her own mother’s fight with cancer years ago. Variations on this transaction happened 501 times more that day at LAC+USC Medical Center during the 2018 Acts of Kindness Blanket Distribution.

Volunteers from faith communities across Southern California came to give blankets to the patients, including Rev. Sue Fisher &, Rev. Karen Claassen & Rick Huff, Anne Coiffi, Rebekah Vander, Sherri Hodge and Rev. Lyn Gifford. All year, folks from all over the county have been knitting, crocheting, quilting, sewing (and praying) these blankets. The hospital even made a short video documenting the effort “A Patchwork of Healing and Warmth.”

Thanks to everyone who came together to make the 2018 Acts of Kindness possible. If you knit, crochet, quilt or sew we welcome your donations for 2019! Blankets need to be hand made (knit, crocheted, quilted or sewn) and prayed over – 36”x36”/48”.

– Rev. Elizabeth Gibbs Zehnder serves as Presbyterian staff chaplain at LAC+USC Medical Center. The Presbyterian Chaplaincy is made possible through the Consortium funded by the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii, the Presbyteries of the Los Ranchos, Pacific, San Fernando and San Gabriel. To find out more about this ministry and how you can be involved, please contact her at [email protected].