The Kiwanis Club of Glendale on April 29 held its annual baby shower at Wyckoff Hospital Medical Center for low-income moms and moms-to-be.
This was the first time the Glendale Kiwanis was able to hold the event in person since the pandemic started two years ago. Debbie Milau, organizer and Kiwanis member, said it was so rewarding to be able to see the expectant mothers’ faces.
“Instead of just having gifts to drop off, it was a nice feeling to get one-on-one with the mothers,” Milau said. “It was a nice thing we could actually see their reactions and get back to a somewhat normal way of doing things. They were very happy. Most were ready to give birth and they seemed very appreciative.”
Glendale Kiwanis partners with the Wyckoff Maternal and Infant Community Health Collaborative (MICHC) to host the event and provide gifts each year. MICHC provides resources for high-need, low-income women and their families.
About 15 mothers were able to be a part of the festivities, including lunch and games. There were also many gifts donated by Kiwanis members and the community. The Glendale Kiwanis started the baby registry on Amazon in March, consisting of necessities like diapers, baby clothing, wipes and more. In nearly two months, Milau said that at least $2,000 worth of items were donated by the Glendale community.
“Our great community stepped forward in a big way,” Milau said. “We received handmade blankets from Cook Lopez at Cooks Crafts. We had other women who made sweaters, hats and booties.”
The expectant mothers also got to play Pin the Pacifier on the Baby and a competition to see who could dress a baby doll the fastest, with winners receiving various prizes.
“It’s our way of giving back to the community,” Milau said. “We wanted to help the new children coming into the world and assist the moms [to] get a footing in the community.”
