Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries (Boston, MA) recently hung a commemorative wall hanging in the agency’s headquarters, originally created to celebrate Goodwill Industries of America’s (now known as Goodwill Industries International) 75th anniversary in 1977. The piece, which resembles a quilt, illustrates the Boston Goodwill’s history and provides a look at the composition of the Goodwill enterprise at the time.
The wall-hanging consists of 150 small patches and one larger center patch made through several techniques from a variety of materials (likely a polyester/cotton blend). The small patches, approximately 5” x 7”, were contributed by delegates at the annual Delegate Assembly in 1977 including Goodwill affiliates throughout the United States, four from Canada, three from Australia and the following seven countries: Mexico, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Malta, and Costa Rica. The origins of five patches could not be identified since they had no text.
Brought to the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA, in September 2015, the piece was repaired and prepared by Martha P. Supnick, volunteer coordinator of the Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project. Photos of the wall hanging and details of the patches were given to the Boston Goodwill for future use. The information will also be made available for research through MassQuilts.
“This beautiful quilt is a wonderful piece of Goodwill history that gives a sense of both the individuality of each member organization and the united purpose of the Goodwill movement,” said Joanne K. Hilferty, president and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries. “Since we have put the quilt up, it has become a topic of conversation for our employees, our participants, and our visitors alike.”
