one by one® story: EveryMom Chicago
On the south side of Chicago, a 21-year-old woman gives birth to her very premature baby. She lives below the poverty line and has no money to buy needed supplies. The only baby clothes she has are so oversized that her child practically swims in them, which can be dangerous. Another mother without resources gets an infection in her C-section incision. She only speaks Spanish. Without childcare for her 7-year-old son and the baby, she can’t get the care she desperately needs. The hospital offers to call the Division of Family Services since she doesn’t have childcare. Scared and without help, she leaves the hospital—still infected. EveryMom Chicago was alerted to these situations and both mothers were immediately given needed supplies and care, plus they were connected to the long-term resources they needed. Tote bag giveaways played a small part.
Holistically helping new moms
Chicago’s south side is hugely under-resourced for pregnant women and new mothers. The city has the highest maternal mortality and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) rates in the state—and those numbers are drastically higher on the south and west sides.
To help meet maternal health needs, EveryMom Chicago provides essential newborn, post-partum and nursing kits to women in underserved communities.
To identify families who need extra support, EveryMom Chicago partners with local hospitals, community centers, domestic abuse shelters and other nonprofits. The organization’s kits include multiple things new moms need. The newborn kit, packaged in an infant tub, contains newborn clothes, towels, washcloths, toiletries, high-quality diaper rash ointment, bottles, a sleep sack, safe sleep information, board books and more.
When EveryMom Chicago meets a mother in need, it tailors the kit with higher-ticket items like a stroller, car seat or breast pump. Even more important than giving these mothers immediate help is connecting them to resources, from social workers to nonprofits, that can help them long-term. Each kit contains a list of helpful resources for free diapers, formula, pack ‘n’ plays, childcare, post-partum counseling, housing assistance and more.
Providing a world of comfort with tote bag giveaways
Thanks to a one by one® grant, EveryMom Chicago ordered tote bag giveaways to hold the post-partum kits.
“Before we received the grant, we packaged our post-partum and nursing supplies in gift bags. And this did make them feel celebratory and special, but the gift bags were expensive, which meant we couldn’t use that money for the mothers,” said Jamie Taratoot, founder and executive director. “The tote bags are spacious so we can package an entire sleeve of diapers and things like super thick maxi pads and disposable underwear—and even nice lotions and toiletries for the moms so they can practice self-care.”
A note from Cheryl
What a beautiful thing EveryMom Chicago is doing for expectant and new mothers in need. 4imprint is honored to play a small part by providing tote bag giveaways used to package the post-partum kits. If you’re interested in learning more about a one by one® grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.com.