CV NEWS FEED// On Father’s Day weekend, the Knights of Columbus delivered over 100 new cribs to mothers in need in the Northern Virginia area.
According to the KofC website, the Knights partnered with Project Manger, which is a non-profit that has been supplying cribs and bedding for mothers in need since 2008.
The project began as the initiative of a local pregnancy resource center, A Woman’s Choice, becoming its own organization in 2022.
Dolores Wisecarver, former executive director of A Woman’s Choice, founded the project after hearing one of the center’s clients had aborted her second baby because there was nowhere for the baby to sleep, the Knights’ website reports. Wisecarver was determined that none of the clients would have to make that choice again.
Since the project took off around Christmas time, “I had this idea to ‘bring a crib to baby Jesus,’” Wisecarver explained, which is how she chose the name Project Manger.
The Knights of Columbus assist with fundraising for the cribs, and former Grand Knight of Council 11922, Denny D’Alelio, “responded immediately” to Wisecarver’s ad in local parish bulletins, and “took the project and ran with it,” Wisecarver says.
He helped Wisecarver set up a board of directors so the project would continue to flourish after his passing, which occurred in 2016.
The Project has delivered over 2,700 cribs in its sixteen years, and it partners with 20 different pregnancy resource centers in Northern Virginia.
The Knights also do many of the deliveries. Knight Joe Jewell explains that the in-person deliveries motivate him in his work with the Project’s board of directors.
“We’ve seen people sleeping on the floor, kids having to sleep on the floor themselves. Just the look on their faces when they see us coming in — to get help in those situations really makes a difference.” Jewell has been helping with the deliveries for the past ten years.
One of the recipients, a young expectant mother named Brisa Sifuentes, explained her gratitude when she saw the new crib. “I’m excited and happy because we haven’t been able to buy anything yet, so it’s a start and it’s a blessing.” Sifuentes is looking forward to telling her baby girl, whom she will name Skyler, about the gift they received. “When she grows up, I can tell her about this, and hopefully I’m able to show her who helped her out.”
