SALT LAKE CITY — Catholic Community Services has been designated the primary charity for the Diocese of Salt Lake City during the Year of Faith, and baby items are being collected this month and next for CCS’ St. Martha’s Baby Project. However, two other non-profit groups with the identical name provide the same mission in Salt Lake City and Cedar City. More than 25 years ago, Corinne Powers began the St. Martha’s Baby Project at Saint Vincent de Paul Parish in Salt Lake City to help low-income women who choose to carry their baby to term rather than have an abortion, said Eileene Lavallee, the program’s current president. Holy Cross Ministries now provides a room for the project to store the supplies and where the volunteers assemble the layettes. The program is "an ecumenical, all-volunteer group committed to anticipate the birth of the next child needing one of the layettes," according to its literature. The number of layettes distributed each year varies; in 2010, 400 were given out, while last year that number dropped to 276. However, Lavallee expects that the need will increase this year because the Early Head Start program has asked for layettes to donate to its clients, who are primarily high school age girls, she said. The layettes also are given to participants in Holy Cross Ministries’ parenting classes. Lavallee’s program has received a yearly grant from the Eccles Foundation for the past 10 years. "If we didn’t have them, we’d probably dry up and blow away," she said, adding that they’ve been unsuccessful in obtaining other grants. However, "We have an awful lot of people who want to help us," she added. For example, the man who does her yard work gives her a $100 donation each year, "and this year he sent me one for $300," she said. Lavallee uses the donations to shop for bargains to fill the layettes, which include supplies for newborns such as baby clothes, bottles, diapers and wipes. Many community groups and volunteers donate items, including handmade quilts and blankets. Sometimes parishes will hold baby showers to collect items for the project. "It’s a double blessing when they do that," she said. Donations to the Salt Lake City St. Martha’s Baby Project may be made at Holy Cross Ministries, 860 East 4500 South in Salt Lake City, or by calling Lavallee at 801-943-9605. In Cedar City, the St. Martha’s Baby Basket Project was started at Christ the King Parish by Marty Kravetz in 1995. "We gave out five baskets that year," said Cindy Davidson, who took over the project in 2009. Since then, it has become "a parish and community sponsored event," with donations coming regularly from two quilt groups, three Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wards and local businesses as well as the parish’s Knights of Columbus and Catholic Women’s Council, and Southern Utah University’s Newman Center, she said. They also have received two grants from Walmart. "It’s not just Christ the King Parish anymore, even though we are the ones who put the baskets together," Davidson said. "There’s a whole networking of people in this community." Each basket contains a homemade quilt and receiving blanket, burp cloths, baby clothing and other newborn needs such as diapers, bottles, a rattle and pacificers. Personal care items for the mother also are included. Last year, just after Christmas, the program gave away its 500th basket, Davidson said; the baskets are taken to Valley View Medical Center, where nurses distribute them, she said. Donations may be made at Christ the King Catholic Church or Ye Olde Catholic Thrift Shoppe, 86 E Center St, Cedar City.
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