Franciscan Health, in partnership with Montgomery County Health Department, hosted a community baby shower Sept. 30 at the Montgomery County 4-H Fairgrounds, that brought in 114 families.
These families were currently expecting or had given birth within one year of the event date.
The goal of the event was to reach out to new and expecting families and to provide them with education, connections to community resources and a baby shower gift. The baby shower featured 26 community partners.
“There are so many wonderful local community organizations serving Montgomery County families,” said Tristan Kirby, director Franciscan Health Community Education. “Our goal is for families to build those relationships as they are moving from table to table and understand the opportunities that are available to them.”
The Franciscan Health Foundation, supported by generous donations from local businesses and community members, provided each family with a baby shower gift. These gifts included items needed for growing families like portable cribs, high-chairs, strollers and video baby monitors, to name a few. Diapers and wipes were also distributed to all participants.
One mother was especially grateful.
“There are a lot of organizations here that I did not know about,” said new mother Beka Lutchka. “It is very helpful to find out what community resources we have, and what they have to offer.”
If you or a loved one are an expecting parent or have recently given birth, look for an announcement regarding the 2024 Community Baby Shower in July.
For more information, call Franciscan Health Community Education at 765-449-5133.
Organizers thanked the following sponsors: C&F Fabricating, Durham Home, Wesley Thrift Shop, Wal-Mart, Nucor Steel, Valero Renewable Fuels, INF/BPW, Sugar Creek Eyecare, Penguin Random House, Deckard Surveying, LLC, Kiwanis Club of Crawfordsville, Montgomery County Probation Department, Brothers Pizza Company, Christi Hubler Chevrolet, The Warehouse Bakery, Student Volunteers from Wabash College, Anthem, ASPIN, Community Action Program Inc. of Western Indiana, Crawfordsville Fire Department Mobile Integrated Health, Cummins Behavioral Health, Family Support Services of West Central Indiana-Healthy Families Program, Goodwill Nurse Family Partnership, Integrative Wellness, LLC, Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau, Phoenix Paramedics Solutions, Purdue Extension Montgomery County, Salvation Army of Montgomery County, Valley Oaks Health, Valley Professionals Community Health Center, and Women’s Resource Center.
