Having recently launched her own quilting company with a debut collection called “The Rainbow Village Collection,” we are elated to share the motivation behind Michelle Collins’ decision to use her artistry and talent to benefit our organization.
Armed with a Psychology degree from Georgia College and State University, Michelle left her idyllic college campus knowing one all-important truth… she wanted to help people. She got involved with the Department of Family and Child Services (DFCS) in Gwinnett County, focused primarily on the foster care program. She found a great deal of fulfillment bridging the gap between foster children, foster parents and birth parents. Her work eventually led her to Jesse’s House – a home for girls in the foster care system where she felt a real connection to the children she served.
In the middle of it all, she had gotten married and became pregnant – making the difficult choice to leave the emotional stress of her job behind to come home and be with her new baby. While being home with her first and soon to follow second child was a dream come true, Michelle felt like she’d had a plan for her life and – while she dearly loved her children – her once clear purpose had become blurred. She longed to help people again and wanted to create something every day to feel productive. She started quilting – tackling a quilt of t-shirts from college in the beginning and was delighted that she had suddenly stumbled across this random passion. After quilting daily for three years, she had an epiphany – there was a way she could combine her passions.
After six months of praying to find the ideal way to have her quilts serve a purpose and give back to the local community somehow, her quest led her to Rainbow Village. As a member of Perimeter Church and during her days with DFCS, she had heard about our community of transformation with a mission to break the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence in the lives of the families we serve. She felt Rainbow Village would prove the ideal fit for her new company, Meesh Quilts. Her Rainbow Village Collection features gorgeous modern baby quilts in a variety of bright colors – like a rainbow – all handmade by a mom dedicated to empowering vulnerable children and their families.
When a person purchases a quilt from the Rainbow Village collection at Meesh Quilts, 15% of the proceeds benefit our organization. But Michelle doesn’t want it to end there. She’s looking to build a community of passionate individuals who are willing to partner with her to strengthen the local community. A great place to start is by joining her newsletter or becoming a follower of her Instagram page. She is also considering becoming more involved at Rainbow Village and hopes to start volunteering in the afterschool program with a focus on middle school girls – much like the ones she worked with at Jesse’s House.
Michelle and her husband Daniel live in Duluth with their two young daughters, Sawyer and Scout – just five minutes away from Rainbow Village. To learn more about Michelle and her brand-new company – Meesh Quilts – visit www.meeshquilts.com. “Quilts that give back” from the Rainbow Village Collection can be purchased online.
