Colorful quilts handcrafted by “RSVP Sewers” at the West Seneca Senior Center will be given to women veterans through the Women’s Primary Care Wellness Center at the VA Western New York Healthcare System.

The Wellness Center is currently serving 57 expectant mothers and will present a quilt to each woman to celebrate the arrival of her newborn.

“It is a gesture to welcome the new family members and thank veterans for their military service,” said Jill LaMantia, program manager for VA Western New York. “We need to do a little something extra to show them how special they are.”

According to the Erie County Department of Senior Services:

Approximately 3,000 out of the 100,000 veterans returning from service are women.

In the past 10 years, the number of women veterans has increased by 83 percent.

Unemployment for veterans is double the national average, and the rate of unemployment among women veterans is double that of their male counterparts.

The largest growing demographic of homeless veterans is homeless women with children.

The Women’s Primary Care Wellness Center has existed for 16 years and is said to be one of the first of its kind in the nation. Services include gynecological exams, mammograms, bone mineral density testing and mental health counseling.

The center has seen a dramatic increase in the number of patients and a demographic shift. In the past, most patients were primarily older women who served in World War II or Korea, but now many are military veterans in their 20s with young children.

Members of the RSVP Sewers gather at the West Seneca Senior Center each Monday to cut and assemble quilts for hospitals and nursing homes. They also look for soft fabrics with juvenile prints — animals, trucks, baseball mitts, ballerinas, and more — to create quilts for children who are ill or placed in protective services.

The sewers include Marsha Berst, Loretta Buffa, Alice Czaja, Mary Lou Kovach, Mary Krakowiak, Mary Irene Kucharski, Caroline Nazzarett, Joan Olewniczak, Esther Paradowski, and Marge Schleining.

To join the group or donate fabric, call the West Seneca Senior Center at 675-9288.

To help the Women Veterans Program with donations of small toiletries, infant needs such as diapers or clothing, grocery store gift cards, or other items, contact Jill LaMantia at 862-8891.