BERNINA of America Donates More Than 100 Kennel Quilts to the Animal Care Centers of NYC

AURORA, IL--(Marketwired - Aug 4, 2015) - BERNINA of America, the premier manufacturer of sewing, embroidery and quilting machines, is pleased to announce that it has answered Animal Care Centers of NYC's plea for help with a burgeoning feline population by donating more than 100 kennel quilts. The kennel quilts were created during BERNINA's annual Dealer training conference July 8 - 12 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The project is part of BERNINA's new partnership with the Petfinder Foundation and The Quilt Pattern Magazine to provide kennel quilts to animal shelters around the country through the volunteer efforts of more than 400 BERNINA Dealers.

"Animals confined to kennels in shelters tend to be anxious and uncomfortable. Kennel quilts provide the animal with some comfort," said Amy Gutierrez, Director of Marketing for BERNINA of America. "We knew that our Dealers and customers would immediately embrace this cause, and we will continue to create and donate kennel quilts throughout the year."

"We have already taken more than 10,000 cats into our care this year," said ACC Executive Director Risa Weinstock. "Thanks to BERNINA and its partners for providing kennel quilts that will help our cats feel comfy and cozy while they wait for their forever home."

The Petfinder Foundation was founded in 2003 as a public charity working to prevent the euthanasia of adoptable pets by assisting animal shelters and rescue groups across North America. The Quilt Pattern Magazine sponsors the Kennel Quilt Team, a volunteer organization that makes kennel quilts available to animal shelters when disasters strike. Over 1,700 kennel quilts have been donated to date, of which 100 were from BERNINA. In cooperation with BERNINA, Kennel Quilt Team founder Nan Baker encouraged Dealers to create the 12-inch-by-18-inch kennel quilts during their free time. 

"We're grateful to have the backing of BERNINA of America and its Dealers, and we look forward to providing many more kennel quilts to shelters in need," said Nan Baker. "The New York City donation is a great start to what will be a successful and satisfying partnership for us all."

Project instructions to create the kennel quilts are available on BERNINA's WeAllSew at the following link: http://weallsew.com/2015/06/13/help-our-animal-friends-in-times-of-need-by-doing-what-we-love/. 

The kennel quilts are BERNINA of America's latest effort supporting charitable causes. Last fall, BERNINA introduced the bernette Sew Pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. BERNINA earmarked $20 from each machine's sale for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, resulting in more than $26,000 in contributions in 2014. The Sew Pink program will continue again this year. BERNINA also donates used sewing machines collected by its Dealers to The Sewing Machine Project, which distributes the machines to organizations around the world to help people become self-sustaining through sewing.

About BERNINA
Founded in Switzerland more than 100 years ago, BERNINA is the world's premier manufacturer with a proven reputation for offering quality state-of-the-art sewing, quilting and embroidery machines, overlockers/sergers, and embroidery software. BERNINA's leadership is marked by an impressive number of ambassadors, industry leaders, influencers and bloggers who chose to partner with the company. BERNINA products are sold in the United States through a network of over 400 fully trained independent dealerships that also offer support and education. Select BERNINA and bernette machines, and BERNINA software can also be purchased through BERNINA's eCommerce site, shop.bernina.com. BERNINA products are designed for beginning to advanced sewists and priced to meet a variety of budgets, with new products being introduced every year. You can follow BERNINA on Facebook: www.facebook.com/berninausa, Instagram: @BERNINAUSA, and Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/WeAllSew, and read BERNINA's WeAllSew blog at www.weallsew.com. To learn more about BERNINA and to find a Dealer, visit www.bernina.com or call (630)978-2500.