New and expectant mothers were celebrated in time for Mother’s Day at an event designed to build connections between them and community resources.
The Village for Families and Children hosted its fifth annual Community Baby Shower Friday afternoon at the Cathedral of St. Joseph on Farmington Avenue. One hundred new and expecting parents were provided with tote bags that included essentials such as diapers, clothing, nursing pads, and more. In addition, parents were connected with a host of organizations that provide support to new parents, children, and families.
Paloma Bayona, director of community and family services at the Village, said that connections were also being formed between families that are just as important.
“There is a sense of community between everybody,” she said. “So families are not just leaving with tangible resources, but they are also taking with them a sense of community, a sense of support, because this is probably the first time they are going to see families like them and be able to talk.”
The event space of the cathedral was decked out with all the trappings of a traditional baby shower, including a DJ, raffle prizes, and a peacock chair beneath a balloon arch.
Valerie Morales, who is due in June, said that she appreciated the baby shower theme, especially for mothers who may not be able to have one on their own.
“It gives them a chance to at least have that kind of experience, whether you’re freshly postpartum or you’re prenatal, you’re able to keep this memory of a joyous time in your life,” she said. “Having a baby is very special. It’s a very sacred thing. And this celebration gives people a chance to have these kinds of moments that not everyone has, and sometimes people take for granted.”
