Baby Shower at the Food Pantry

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

At East End Cooperative Ministry's Food Pantry, we are seeing an increasing number of families with young children coming to us for help. And, as any parent knows, the cost of providing for a baby is high -- diapers, wipes, formula, clothes -- it adds up to a whole lot really fast. When you're struggling to get by, $25 a week for a can of baby formula takes a gigantic bite out of your household budget. And these expenses aren't optional.

In response to this growing need among our Food Pantry clients, EECM hosted a Baby Shower on Saturday. We publicized a list of much-needed baby basics, then invited our supporting congregations to come by with donations and enjoy a slice of cake when they dropped them off.

The results were terrific! We've received literally thousands of items to date and the donations are still coming in. Here's a partial list:

3,355 diapers

31 large cans of formula

63 packages of wipes

141 bottles

20 tubes of baby butt products

11 bottles of baby wash

42 jars of baby food

14 baby blankets

More than 150 items of baby apparel (onesies, sleepers, hats, booties, etc.)

3 laundry baskets

A host of baby accessories, from binkies to bottle brushes to a bouncy chair

(...and a partridge in a pair tree!)

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Food Pantry Baby Shower.