Help SouthCoast Babies With ‘Baby Bundles’ Drive in October

United Way of Greater New Bedford’s Women United group hosts Baby Bundles each year. During the event, 100 Baby Bundles will be packaged with essentials for mothers in need in our community. These mothers will be identified through local health programs.

Each Baby Bundle will include the following items:

• United Way Onesie & Bib*
• Package of diapers
• Package of unscented wipes
• Burp Cloth
• 1 bib
• 1 pacifier
• Small toy or teether
• Baby book
• Baby washcloths
• Local resources*
  • FRC brochure
  • WIC Brochure
  • Early Learning materials and tools

*United Way to provide

Throughout September, businesses were asked to hold drives as part of a community baby shower to collect new, unopened necessities to fill the Baby Bundles. Although the collections were great, United Way is still short a few items.

The baby items that are still needed include:

1. Burp cloths
2. Bibs
3. Stuffed animals
4. Small teething toys
5. Receiving blankets
6. Baby books
7. Baby washcloths

United Way also has created Baby Registries on Target, Walmart, or Amazon for easy access to the needed items and the sites will mail directly to United Way. Items can also be dropped at the office as well at 128 Union St. Suite 105 in New Bedford. Items are being collected through Friday, October 8.

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On the day of the event, Women United members and volunteers will help sort the items that have come in through the community drives. Once sorted, volunteers will form a production line and create the Baby Bundles.

Victoria Grasela is the Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement for United Way of Greater New Bedford. She explained that all items will be packaged into a Baby Bundle tote and marked with a “welcome baby” tag.

"While trying to collect gender-neutral items, we get a little of everything, so these tags signify if it is a welcome bag for a girl, boy, or any new arrival," Grasela said. "Additionally, volunteers (parents only) would be asked to handwrite two or three letters of encouragement and tips for the new moms."