At Parkway Place, a group of women have chosen a unique approach to meeting to help the hurting and meet the needs of their fellow residents, as well as adults and children across Houston.

Every Tuesday, six residents faithfully gather together to make lap quilts to donate to those in their own community who are facing illness, to children at Child Advocates, a nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of child abuse, and to children recovering from surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“There’s a lot of time and love that goes into each quilt,” said Jane Wulf, Parkway Place resident and member of the quilting group. “The main reason we do it is to cheer people up, but it has also allowed our group to become close, keeps us active and gives us a sense of purpose.”

The quilting group makes about 250 lap quilts a year. About half of the quilts are sold in the Parkway Place community gift shop with the proceeds going toward purchasing more supplies for the donated quilts.


“Our main purpose is to give quilts away, and that gives me a true sense of fulfillment,” Wulf said. “It gives me a responsibility and a goal to meet, giving me purpose to my life and keeping me involved.”

Wulf has been crafting since she was a child, and often helped her mom quilt and sew. At 91, she is as active as ever and does a lot of the prep work for the group outside of their weekly meeting time. During the week, she picks out the fabric, washes and irons it and cuts the fabric to size before each meeting. During the meetings, the group ties the batting and fabric together to create these special lap quilts that help bring joy to others.

“This group of women and their dedication to helping people in need is truly amazing and makes Parkway Place a special place to be,” said Susan Phelps, marketing director of Parkway Place. “Their creations bring so much happiness to others and are a source of comfort to those who might be experiencing a hard time.”