NORFOLK, NE - A Northeast Nebraska museum is not letting the winter weather slow them down. There are 6,231 foster children in Nebraska without permanent homes to celebrate the holidays in, according to Adopt-US-Kids.

Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk wants to give them something permanent and warm this season: quilts.

Because of COVID restrictions, quilters are zooming in monthly, led by Education Coordinator Libby McKay. She is eager to welcome more volunteers.

"A lot of times the few belongings that foster kids have with them they carry in garbage or Walmart bags because they sometimes enter the system unplanned, so that spoke to me.... thinking these kids don't have basic things like a blanket," McKay said. 

A handful of volunteers are sewing three sizes of quilts from their homes, using donated fabrics from Downtown company I BEE QUILTIN.

McKay said the process takes about four months to complete a quilt. Still, the museum thought it would be be the perfect way to nod to the museum’s historic context.    

This is going on while their membership drive runs through December, for a $5 membership discount.

Because a third of their revenue does come from membership, COVID closings have impacted them.

McKay said membership fees help with operations and programming. 

But, you can also help out in non-financial ways.

"When we're able to have volunteers come in again, maybe you can come man the desk or help with mailing," McKay said. 

Just a pinch of charity can help the community through a holiday season that’s going to look a lot different this year.