The Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), the only museum in the Southeast devoted exclusively to the study and celebration of all things design, is partnering with the Welcome Blanket project to collect blankets as a “warm welcome” to new refugees coming to the United States, including those arriving from Afghanistan.
After collecting over 500 blankets made by crafters across the country and displaying them at the museum in a mini-exhibition, MODA has been distributing blankets to immigrants and refugees living in metro Atlanta at distribution events.
The next blanket distributions will be held at Refuge Coffee on Friday, Oct. 7 from 11:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Jolly Avenue Garden on Monday, Oct. 24 from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m. All immigrant and refugee families are welcome to come out and take home a welcome blanket, each including a welcome note from the person who created the blanket. Plus, MODA will host a virtual conversation with the Welcome Blanket’s founder Jayna Zweiman on Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.
According to Welcome Blanket, the project is a platform for engagement that transforms the abstract concept of immigration into a tangible, crowd-sourced artistic action where crafters are invited to stitch, knit, crochet and weave blankets for new neighbors as a warm welcome. Along with the blankets, makers are invited to include a welcome note and share their own immigration, migration and relocation stories.
