What is The Great Winter Warm-up?

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A woman and three children holding comforters

The Great Winter Warm-up is a way to give the gift of warmth through a comforter. Help us meet our goal of donating 7,000 comforters before February 29 and give the gift of warmth to those who need it the most. If you can’t get your comforters in this month, don’t worry — donations of comforters are gratefully accepted throughout the year.

A handmade blanket provides not only warmth but also a tangible reminder to people in vulnerable situations that their needs are not forgotten.

Last year, 59,277 comforters were donated by people like you and sent to countries including Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. Your time and creative talents are helping to share God’s love with people dealing with conflict and disaster around the world.

Together, we can share warmth and comfort with our global neighbors. Here’s how you can get involved: 

It’s a great excuse to use up any fabric you’ve stored up or find at your local MCC Thrift shop. Or maybe you want to learn a new skill. We have plenty of tips to help you along the way. You can make a comforter on your own or create a group to do this fun activity with. You can also visit our events section below to find out if there’s a comforter knotting event happening in your area. Once your comforter is done, you can bring it to an MCC drop-off location near you. 

Learn how to make a comforter from start to finish by watching our video tutorials.

Don’t have the time or space to make a comforter? You can sponsor the costs for materials or shipping one instead. When you donate toward the cost of making and shipping a comforter, you can also send a valentine to a loved one, letting them know you made a donation in their name. Both digital and printable valentines are available. 

Donate to help provide comforters to those in need.

Are you an avid comforter maker? We’d love to see a flurry of comforters on social media. Post a photo or video of any comforter you’ve made, whether it’s from this month or a while ago. Make sure to tag @MCCpeace so we can share your wonderful and warm creations to inspire others.

Isaac Eby stands in front of the "Cheerful Comforter" he designed.

Design a cheerful comforter

Do you know children that love to color, or maybe even some who know how to sew? Download this fun comforter design activity geared towards young children for your Sunday School class or for your kids to do at home.

Frequently asked questions

Last year, generous people like you sent 59,277 comforters to places like Zambia, Ukraine, Syria, Malawi, Jordan and communities in Canada and the U.S. 

You can drop off completed comforters at your local MCC drop-off location throughout the month of February to be counted towards our 7,000 comforter goal. But don’t worry if you can’t make it by the end of February, we gratefully accept comforters all year round.

Yes! Sign up to receive MCC’s children’s comforter activity. It’s an easy-to-do craft that teaches kids how to design a basic comforter. 

Yes. Please download MCC’s comforter guidelines or watch MCC’s three-part video series to learn about the specifications of our comforters. 

Got a busy schedule? If you can’t make a comforter yourself, consider donating to cover the cost of supplies and shipping to provide a comforter to people in need around the word. You can also choose to sponsor a comforter and send it as a valentine to a loved one.

Sponsor a comforter today

Stories of comforters around the world

Every year, people just like you are meeting the needs of the most vulnerable by providing the gift of warmth through a comforter. Read some of their stories here.

Sponsor a comforter

Your donation of $40 will help provide a comforter for people in need.