Supporting Our Community

Warming Heads with Gifts from the Heart

For more than 220 years, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur have responded to the needs of their time with creativity and compassion. In Ipswich, Massachusetts, that spirit continues—one knitted hat at a time.

Sisters Marilyn Cummins and Patricia O’Rourke, SNDdeN

What began as a simple act of kindness has blossomed into a ministry of warmth and hope. When activity coordinator Randee Michaud recognized a need for winter hats, she taught the Sisters how to “knit” using small machines. Four years later, their one-time project has produced more than 3,500 hats—each one a tangible sign of care.

“God keeps it going,” Michaud said with a smile. The knitted hats and scarves have traveled near

Sister Gerry Stanton, SNDdeN

and far—to shelters in Boston, families in need and communities as distant as Ukraine and Turkey. When the Capuchin Mobile Ministry requested black hats for those they serve locally, the Sisters answered without hesitation.

Yarn donations pour in from Sisters and friends alike, and the Ipswich community gathers regularly to package and bless each bundle before it is sent. Through these simple stitches, the Sisters continue to do what they have always done—make known

the goodness of God, one act of love at a time.

This storu is also featured in the Winter 2025 edition of our  Sowing Goodness magazine.