Chick-fil-A Citizen of the Month: Gina Halladay’s charity motivated by healing and human connection

April Slaughter | Lehi Free Press

For Gina Halladay, community service is rooted in a simple idea: small acts of care can make a meaningful difference for someone facing a difficult moment.

The Lehi resident leads Wrap the World with Quilts, a volunteer-driven nonprofit that collects and distributes handmade quilts and blankets to individuals and families affected by crisis. Through partnerships with local schools, businesses and community groups, the effort connects volunteers in Lehi with people in need around the world.

For her leadership and ongoing commitment to humanitarian service, Halladay has been named the Chick-fil-A Citizen of the Month.

Since its founding, the organization has grown into a broad network of volunteers and donors. Local support has played a key role in that growth, including contributions from residents, students and businesses, as well as funding assistance through Lehi City’s PARC program.

Halladay said the recognition reflects the collective effort behind the work.

“Being named Chick-fil-A Citizen of the Month is an unexpected honor, and I share that recognition with all of the talented souls, makers, givers and volunteers that support Wrap the World With Quilts,” she said. “I am honored, but know it is the work of many that has enabled our charity to comfort others.”

Quilts and blankets collected through the program have been distributed to people affected by a wide range of disasters and emergencies, including Ukrainian refugees and victims of wildfires, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes.

For Halladay, the motivation comes from the work’s purpose.

“Our purpose to bring comfort, love, warmth, healing and human connection to those suffering brings me joy and motivation,” she said.

She said the project’s impact is best understood through individual stories. Recently, the organization received a message from a woman injured in a church shooting who wrote that the handmade blanket she received would bring her comfort for years to come.

Halladay said moments like that reinforce the importance of even small efforts.

“One quilt made by a volunteer, wrapped around one person, does make a difference to someone who is displaced, discouraged or distressed,” she said. “The gift of a handmade quilt shows that someone cares about them.”

Halladay was recognized by the local Chick-fil-A restaurant as Citizen of the Month, a program that honors individuals whose leadership and service strengthen the community.