Baby Bundles: A Mission to New Mothers (and Not-so-new Grandmothers)

Bobbie Hartman, Outreach Commission

Everybody loves a new baby – and grandmothers everywhere love shopping and knitting and crocheting for them. But those babies grow up to become teenagers, and their gift lists often include things most of us grandparents can’t even pronounce. And while buying the latest electronic gizmo for them can be fun, it’s just not the same as making something soft and sweet, and we miss doing that.

The other side of this story is the East Liberty Family Health Care Center where new mothers often find themselves with limited means for providing even the basics. But they, too, would like to have some of those beautiful clothes and soft blankets for their precious new ones.

As often happens in the church, people who have and people who need find one another. And this is the magic of Baby Bundles.

We are a group of women who in our small way are following the call of Jesus in Matthew 25: “I was naked and you gave me clothing.” We knit, crochet, and sew blankets and gather new and gently worn baby clothes from Westminster’s rummage sale, donations from members, and more recently, from the City Mission Hidden Treasures store. Our Outreach Commission budget funds the purchase of a digital thermometer for each recipient. Each bundle includes sleepwear, onesies, hats, socks, at least one “dress-up” outfit, and a hand-written note. All these are gathered together in the Baby Bundles which are then delivered to new mothers in East Liberty.

Debby Underwood started this project seven years ago after her grandchildren were grown and she “had no one to knit for.” There is no definite schedule for the bundling meetings. Debbie gets a call from the East Liberty Center when their supplies run low, and she notifies our Westminster group. We all watch for inexpensive or free items, and those with knitting or crocheting skills work on blankets throughout the year. We meet at Westminster to gather, sort, and bundle the items.

If you would like to participate, email Debby and she will include you in the next bundling call.

From left: Debby Underwood, Bobbie Hartman, Marilyn Lindstrom, Kathy Knopp, and Drue Bellora. Not pictured: Nana Wilson, Bev Hilty. We also thank Carol Hetrick, a friend of Westminster, for the many beautiful baby blankets she has crocheted for us, and Marilyn who engaged her in this project.