CV NEWS FEED // A Utah organization that provides baby clothes to new mothers has begun a new partnership with the Catholic Community Services of Utah in order to significantly expand its services.
Intermountain Catholic reported that St. Martha’s Baby Project in Salt Lake City has provided baby clothes for new mothers since 1987, and was originally run by a ministry of the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Office of Marriage and Family Life.
In May, the Salt Lake City branch of St. Martha’s began partnering with Catholic Community Services of Utah (CSS) instead. According to Intermountain Catholic, St. Martha’s will still be volunteer-based, and CSS’s goals for the ministry are largely the same as the Diocese’s. CSS hopes to expand the ministry, spreading word and getting more people to volunteer.
Courtney Schiever, CSS’ volunteer coordinator, said that the program is important to the community around it.
“Being a mom is important, and having the items that you need right when you have a baby … knowing that you have a package of diapers, it really takes the burden off of their shoulders,” she said, according to Intermountain Catholic.
Currently, the Salt Lake City St. Martha’s has roughly 20 volunteers who make about 275 layettes—bundles of baby clothing and necessities—each year, with some help from other individuals and groups. CSS’s goal is to support 400 mothers and their babies every year.
According to Intermountain Catholic, the fact that different groups and communities come together to work on the project impressed Schiever.
“That whole mission of bringing people together to do good is what I love about it; everybody working for the same thing,” she said, according to Intermountain Catholic. “When we help each other building those relations with different people we can change the world for the better.”
