Friday, September 02, 2005
I Wasn't Going to Post Anything Katrina-related on My Blog...
(because I feel like it's already covered well elsewhere and I really have nothing to add. We all know it's horrible, we've all seen the pictures and read the stories.)
BUT, this was posted on one of my mommy message boards and I thought this might be a relevant way some of us mommy bloggers could help. We're going to put together our box tomorrow and send it off. If you can, I'd encourage you to do so too! :)
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Here's What March of Dimes is Doing and What You Can Do!!
Hello all, thank you for your patience while we help the chapter office assess the situation and need and determine how we can assist.
From what we understand from the staff in Louisiana many babies from New Orleans NICU have been transported to Baton Rouge Women and Children's Hospital. In addition, all women in the area who are 34 weeks pregnant or more have been told to go to the hospitalas shelter, not to a regular shelter. These women likely will stay in the hospital until ddelivery.
You are right about the need for clothing...the need is in the NICU, the PICU, for siblings and for maternity clothes. We are coordinating with our corporate sponsors RIGHT NOW to have clothing sent overnight to our chapter office for distribution to the hospital. We expect to send TODAY hundreds of clothes for babies and moms. We also have a donation, just made from two of our vendors of hundreds of plush toys for siblings.
We are also distributing information for pregnant women in the areas hit with tips on avoiding health tips and recognizing the signs and symptoms of preterm labor.
Of course, your help is needed because you know what will help each family. HERE IS WHAT YOU COULD DO:
Make a basket geared to a family (or a mother and NICU baby) with items that meet a variety of needs: preemie clothes (onesies, hats, socks), hand sanitizer, beauty/bath items for mom, items for siblings (if you want), notebook or journal and pen for parent, bottle of water for parent, etc. Give what you believe would be helpful and package the items together so they can be handed to a mom or dad. Include a note letting them know how much you care!
Send your box to:
Capi Landrineau
Director of Program Services
March of Dimes Lousianna State Chapter
12015 Justice Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Baskets like this would be GREAT because they come from you and you know what famileis might need!
Please consider:
Families have little space (most are not in their homes) so send small items you think are important for them to have.
Sending to our chapter office helps us makes sure hosptial families get your pacakges! The hospital might receive many unmarked, unidentifiable boxes whose contents are never delivered to families.
The need may continue for the near future, so we'll definitely keep you posted.
Disasters like this often sadly have long-term implications for mothers and babies. We are already considering projects in the fall to serve families after the emergency response is complete. I'll tell you more about those as they are developed. In addition, the NICU in Baton Rouge may need additional March of Dimes help for some time and we will let you know ways you can support that.
Thank you for being there for these families, for continuing to think of them, and for your support of them.
A quick update from March of Dimes
Just wanted you to know the following:
1) March of Dimes NICU Family Support packages are being sent overnight for NICU families. These will be distributed by our program person in Baton Rouge who will be volunteering in the NICU this weekend.
2) Gymboree is sending hundreds of outfits, preemie through toddler for NICU, PICU, siblings and families being discharged.
3) Motherhood Maternity is doing the same for maternity clothes for pregnant women at the hospital in Baton Rouge and in the shelters. (There are some special shelters for pregnant women and moms with young children, and also some places set aside in the larger shelters.)
4) March of Dimes is getting health messages out to the media and the public for pregnant women and young families.
5) YOU are sending special care packages for NICU families -- remember to send to the chapter office so we can be sure your gifts are delivered to NICU families.
More Notes On Packages:
1) Please keep your packages SMALL and geared to one family at a time at this point. We need to be able to hand the package you send directly to one NICU family, any family, WITHOUT sorting and determining who needs what. THIS WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL.
2) Gymboree is overnighting children's clothes today and preemie/infant clothes tomorrow. PLEASE DO NOT SEND CHILDREN'S CLOTHING TO THE MARCH OF DIMES. Red Cross and other relief agencies are more prepared to receive and distribute clothing, so please if you have clothing to donate, contact the Red Cross. If you want to put small preemie items (hats, socks, onesies) in your baskets that would be fine.
3) Small, useful items for parents and babies in NICU (your ideas for cameras, personal care items, calling cards, etc. are GREAT). Hand sanitizer would be great. PLEASE ONLY NEW ITEMS.
I know you are looking for a way to donate money to the March of Dimes for these efforts. We are looking into this, but because we are not relief agency, we are not set up to collect and disburse funds in this way. We'll let you know if we can set things up for you to target donations.
IF YOU WANT TO DONATE SPECIFICALLY TO RELIEF EFFORTS, we encourage you to give to the American Red Cross or one of the other relief agencies.
BUT, this was posted on one of my mommy message boards and I thought this might be a relevant way some of us mommy bloggers could help. We're going to put together our box tomorrow and send it off. If you can, I'd encourage you to do so too! :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's What March of Dimes is Doing and What You Can Do!!
Hello all, thank you for your patience while we help the chapter office assess the situation and need and determine how we can assist.
From what we understand from the staff in Louisiana many babies from New Orleans NICU have been transported to Baton Rouge Women and Children's Hospital. In addition, all women in the area who are 34 weeks pregnant or more have been told to go to the hospitalas shelter, not to a regular shelter. These women likely will stay in the hospital until ddelivery.
You are right about the need for clothing...the need is in the NICU, the PICU, for siblings and for maternity clothes. We are coordinating with our corporate sponsors RIGHT NOW to have clothing sent overnight to our chapter office for distribution to the hospital. We expect to send TODAY hundreds of clothes for babies and moms. We also have a donation, just made from two of our vendors of hundreds of plush toys for siblings.
We are also distributing information for pregnant women in the areas hit with tips on avoiding health tips and recognizing the signs and symptoms of preterm labor.
Of course, your help is needed because you know what will help each family. HERE IS WHAT YOU COULD DO:
Make a basket geared to a family (or a mother and NICU baby) with items that meet a variety of needs: preemie clothes (onesies, hats, socks), hand sanitizer, beauty/bath items for mom, items for siblings (if you want), notebook or journal and pen for parent, bottle of water for parent, etc. Give what you believe would be helpful and package the items together so they can be handed to a mom or dad. Include a note letting them know how much you care!
Send your box to:
Capi Landrineau
Director of Program Services
March of Dimes Lousianna State Chapter
12015 Justice Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Baskets like this would be GREAT because they come from you and you know what famileis might need!
Please consider:
Families have little space (most are not in their homes) so send small items you think are important for them to have.
Sending to our chapter office helps us makes sure hosptial families get your pacakges! The hospital might receive many unmarked, unidentifiable boxes whose contents are never delivered to families.
The need may continue for the near future, so we'll definitely keep you posted.
Disasters like this often sadly have long-term implications for mothers and babies. We are already considering projects in the fall to serve families after the emergency response is complete. I'll tell you more about those as they are developed. In addition, the NICU in Baton Rouge may need additional March of Dimes help for some time and we will let you know ways you can support that.
Thank you for being there for these families, for continuing to think of them, and for your support of them.
A quick update from March of Dimes
Just wanted you to know the following:
1) March of Dimes NICU Family Support packages are being sent overnight for NICU families. These will be distributed by our program person in Baton Rouge who will be volunteering in the NICU this weekend.
2) Gymboree is sending hundreds of outfits, preemie through toddler for NICU, PICU, siblings and families being discharged.
3) Motherhood Maternity is doing the same for maternity clothes for pregnant women at the hospital in Baton Rouge and in the shelters. (There are some special shelters for pregnant women and moms with young children, and also some places set aside in the larger shelters.)
4) March of Dimes is getting health messages out to the media and the public for pregnant women and young families.
5) YOU are sending special care packages for NICU families -- remember to send to the chapter office so we can be sure your gifts are delivered to NICU families.
More Notes On Packages:
1) Please keep your packages SMALL and geared to one family at a time at this point. We need to be able to hand the package you send directly to one NICU family, any family, WITHOUT sorting and determining who needs what. THIS WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL.
2) Gymboree is overnighting children's clothes today and preemie/infant clothes tomorrow. PLEASE DO NOT SEND CHILDREN'S CLOTHING TO THE MARCH OF DIMES. Red Cross and other relief agencies are more prepared to receive and distribute clothing, so please if you have clothing to donate, contact the Red Cross. If you want to put small preemie items (hats, socks, onesies) in your baskets that would be fine.
3) Small, useful items for parents and babies in NICU (your ideas for cameras, personal care items, calling cards, etc. are GREAT). Hand sanitizer would be great. PLEASE ONLY NEW ITEMS.
I know you are looking for a way to donate money to the March of Dimes for these efforts. We are looking into this, but because we are not relief agency, we are not set up to collect and disburse funds in this way. We'll let you know if we can set things up for you to target donations.
IF YOU WANT TO DONATE SPECIFICALLY TO RELIEF EFFORTS, we encourage you to give to the American Red Cross or one of the other relief agencies.
