Pictured from left: Trent Stuart, West Cook YMCA, Valerie Smith, Children’s Home & Aid, Stacy Mirro, Children’s Home & Aid, Valarie Redmond, Children’s Home & Aid and Whitney Brooks, Collaboration for Early Childhood
It’s been a year like no other — especially for new and expecting parents. With that in mind, we wanted to give a little extra support and self-care to new parents this spring.
So, on Saturday May 8, with support from West Cook YMCA, our Family Engagement program partners worked together to plan a special Mother’s Day Baby Bundle Giveaway.
Azucena Galvez, Collaboration for Early Childhood, connecting to families who happened to be in Mills Park on Saturday morning (5/8/21).
This Mother’s Day, after a year of distancing, we wanted to celebrate new and expecting mothers in the community and make them and their new baby feel welcomed here in Oak Park and River Forest. A Baby Bundle is a collection of goodies for a new parent or expecting parents. Each bundle includes books, bibs, onesies, wipes and more. And for Mother’s Day, we also wanted to make sure mom got something special too. Each bundle also included a candle, Daly Bagel gift card, lipstick, and book about mindfulness.
During this very challenging year, words cannot express how much we appreciate the role mothers and mother-figures play in keeping our community’s children healthy, safe, and loved. Thank you to all the mothers, partners, and community members who helped make our Mother’s Day Baby Bundle Giveaway event a success!
We were thrilled to distribute 45 bundles at the giveaway, and we heard some great feedback, too.
“Today, I got a bundle from your program. As a new resident of Oak Park, I feel extremely welcome and happy. Thank you again for your wonderful help.” – Baby Bundle Recipient
We are especially thankful for the donations to the Baby Bundles and support from:
- Children’s Home & Aid
- Easterseals Partnering with Parents
- Kids Above All
- Monica’s Skincare Boutique
- New Moms
- Unity Temple
- Village of Oak Park
- West Cook YMCA
- And the many individuals who donated diapers!
What’s a Baby Bundle?
Baby Bundles started in the fall of 2020 in partnership with our parent-led team, Families First | La Familia Primero and our home visiting program partners. To-date we have distributed 65 bundles to new or expecting parents. Baby Bundles are distributed year-round. If you know someone in Oak Park or River Forest who is expecting or recently had a baby, have them complete the form below. Someone from our parent-led team will reach out to them to get them a bundle.
A bit more about the Collaboration for Early Childhood’s mission
Since 2003, the local taxing bodies have worked together through the Collaboration for Early Childhood to improve resources, information and support for young families and providers of childcare so that all Oak Park and River Forest children arrive at kindergarten safe, healthy, ready to succeed, and eager to learn. Learn more.
“The baby bundle was such a nice present to receive, and so, so, generous. Please pass along my thanks to all the organizations and businesses that contributed to this gift.” – Baby Bundle Recipient
This post was prepared with support from Jennifer Little, Manager of Family Engagement.