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Small clients, big need

Katie Collins | Catholic Herald

Volunteer Deb Hook organizes items in the Baby Needs Closet, a Catholic Charities ministry run out of the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry in Fredericksburg

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Donated baby clothes, blankets, diapers and wipes fill the Baby Needs Closet to be given to area needy.

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Vivian Poole, a volunteer for Arlington diocesan Catholic
Charities’ Baby Needs Closet, received a phone call a while
ago from a woman who had been living in a hotel with her
baby. The mother had used up all the diapers she could afford
and then had gone through the hotel towels.

Unable to meet her baby’s basic needs, the woman was
heartbreakingly distressed, said Poole, who also works as a
human resources assistant for Catholic Charities.

The Baby Needs Closet is located in Fredericksburg inside the
St. Faustina Conference of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry,
supported by St. Matthew Church in Spotsylvania. It was
started last March to help such needy mothers obtain
essential items, like diapers, for their infants free of
charge.

With a few exceptions, Northern Virginia generally has a
poverty rate in the single digits, with poverty defined as
individuals making less than $11,945 a year and a family of
four making $23,283 a year. There are areas that have much
higher rates, however, including the city of Fredericksburg,
with more than 16 percent of residents living below the
poverty level, according Feeding America, a nonprofit
domestic hunger-relief charity.

With high rates of poverty, food takes precedence over
everything else, including often pricey baby items, said
Sherri Longhill, Catholic Charities emergency assistance
regional coordinator.

Besides the center, Longhill said she knows of no other place
in the region that gives out free, new baby items.

Along with diapers, the Baby Needs Closet provides wipes,
baby shampoo, cream, infant formula, sippy cups, toys and
some clothing.

“The response (to the closet) has been tremendous,” said
Longhill, with families coming from as far away as Colonial
Beach and King George County to obtain essentials for their
babies. All clients are “well below the poverty level,” she
said.

The closet is open Fridays from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. and by
appointment. Poole, who recruits and organizes a group of
dedicated volunteers, said they don’t have enough supplies to
keep it open longer, but she hopes eventually to extend the
hours.

Due to the support of parishes in the area, the small closet
– just 100 by 100 feet – is a big blessing to the families
who visit it.

Area parishes provide the backbone of the outreach. St.
Matthew; St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, St. Patrick
and St. Jude in Fredericksburg; and St. William of York in
Stafford have helped stock the shelves and get the word out
about the ministry, said Longhill.

Father Paul M. Eversole, pastor of St. Matthew, has been
especially supportive. He has promoted the Baby Needs Closet
at ministry fairs, and the parish paid for additional closet
shelving.

Holy Cross Academy in Fredericksburg had a Christmas drive
that raised a thousand dollars’ worth of diapers for the
closet. And a “baby shower” in Stafford brought in numerous
items and monetary donations.

The Chancery in Arlington also held a successful drive on
Father’s Day last year.

Longhill said the closet is part of the overall work of
emergency assistance – helping those in crisis due to
unemployment, sickness or other struggles.

“To be able to minister to people like this is just helping
the most vulnerable among us,” she said.

“We must help because we are Catholic,” added Poole. “I’ve
learned to look at those people and see Christ – especially
the babies, who are so innocent.”

Catholic Charities is supported by funds from the Bishop’s
Lenten Appeal.

How to help

The Baby Needs Closet needs donations, especially diapers and
formula. To donate, call 703/841-3834 or send a check to
Catholic Charities, 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 506, Arlington,
VA 22203 and write “Baby Closet” in the memo line.

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