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Blankets, diapers and onesies for Haitian newborns

Zoey Maraist | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Parishioners and volunteers assemble 1,200 newborn supply kits for earthquake victims in Haiti at Church of the Nativity in Burke Sept. 12. COURTESY

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Fueled by goodwill and the excitement of donut Sunday,
parishioners at Church of the Nativity in Burke assembled 1,200 newborn supply
kits to be sent to mothers and newborns in the disaster-impacted areas of
Haiti. Stella Marina, a parish ministry that supports Haitian midwives, created
an assembly line for volunteers after Sunday Masses Sept. 12. They put two
cloth diapers, a blanket, a onesie, a washcloth, a changing pad and two diaper
pins into two-gallon Ziploc bags. 

Some children hopped in the assembly line a few times, said Meg
Hanrahan, co-founder of Stella Marina. “It’s the little kids sometimes who say,
‘Mom, I want to make them,’ and a lot of families did it multiple times,” she
said. “A lot of people liked the hands-on aspect. A lot of times we donate and
give to certain causes and obviously that’s much needed, but people also like
that connection of feeling (they) made something to help somebody.” 

This month, Stella Marina is shipping 4,700 birthing kits, Pack
and Plays, and medical supplies to a doctor who serves in one of the Haitian
villages built by Operation Starfish, another Nativity ministry. Next month,
they’ll ship the newborn kits as well as food and toiletries to
earthquake-affected areas. The supplies are much needed, said Hanrahan. 

“Haiti has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the
Western hemisphere and about 10-15 percent are due to infections they get from
the birthing process because they’re not in a clean environment,” she said. “So
just the simple kit that costs $5 can save a mother and baby’s life.” 

 

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