St. Martha's serves babies born into poverty

Intermountain Catholic

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Del Kleman, Jean Johnson, Mary Berge, and Eileen LaValle, president, greet guests at the St. Martha's Baby Project and Holy Cross Ministries open house Dec. 13.IC photo by Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — "St. Martha’s Baby Project is now settled comfortably in their new location at 860 East 4500 South, Salt Lake City, under the umbrella of Holy Cross Ministries. St. Martha’s Baby Project provides layettes for babies born to mothers and fathers living in poverty.

"We are very grateful that we do not have to pay rent, and that Holy Cross Ministries allowed us to relocate with them, and have included us in their lease," said Eileen LaVallee, president of St. Martha’s Baby Project. "Without Holy Ministries generously taking us on board, we may have had to dissolve our volunteer organization. Paying rent would result in us having to decrease the amount of layettes we give out each year, and our inability to supply some of the necessary and needed items we put in the layettes. During 2006, we supplied 308 layettes."

The layettes are made up in a laundry basket which must also be purchased. They contain a hand-made quilt and baby blanket, a bib, baby bottles, baby wipes, baby lotion, a baby brush, baby toiletries items, diapers, a hand-made onesie, and a hand-sewn bear. They also contain a bag full of toiletry items for the mother.

Holy Cross Ministries and St. Martha’s Baby Project held an open house Dec. 13, so clients and visitors could become familiar with their new location. They have found the new location to be more convenient for many people than their previous location on 1700 South 2750 West.

St. Martha’s Baby Project has 25 volunteers who keep the program running. They operate with the help of grants, donations, parish baby showers, and service projects by two Mormon wards.

LaVallee said St. Thomas More Parish, Sandy, and St. John the Baptist Parish, Draper, included St. Martha’s in their Christmas Giving Tree Programs. St. Olaf Parish, Bountiful, will host a baby shower for us Feb. 12.

"We have less storage room now, and so does Holy Cross Ministries," said LaVallee. "We have all had to downsize. We are thankful for three of our volunteers who have provided us with off-site storage."

Sadly St. Martha’s experienced their first loss. One of their shipments of cotton flannel from California was stolen after it was dropped off by UPS. The value was $375, and St. Martha’s is currently waiting to see if UPS will help them recover the loss.

"We are most grateful for the Olympus Third Ward relief society," said LaVallee. "Lillian O’Neil has been coordinating with the members to help for the past five years. Many of them, including Edith Isaacson and Martha Fulghum, have sewn more than 200 blankets, bibs, and nightgowns. Their love for those in need has been inspirational."

For the past 12 years Warren Bitter, a manager for Albertsons Stores, has been bringing diapers, baby wipes, baby bottles, and baby brushes at Albertsons’ costs. LaVallee said it is wonderful not to have to go shopping for the best price for these items, and it is a huge savings.

"We have helped many at the Pregnancy Resource Center," said LaVallee. "Recently we provided a layette for a single father who has taken over the parenting responsibilities while the mother of the baby is in rehabilitation.

Holy Cross Ministries continues to distribute a number of the layettes to their clients. Holy Cross Ministries requires their clients to take a minimum of seven prenatal and parenting classes. The classes include such topics as "Baby and Parenting," "Positive Discipline," "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)," and "Shaken Baby Syndrome." The program includes teen mothers who have become a large percentage of the mothers now receiving layettes. The teen mothers are encouraged to stay in school. They know they can turn to Holy Cross Ministries to help them meet their needs.

Clients are rewarded with a layette once they complete the classes. Holy Cross Sister Suzanne Brennan, director of Holy Cross Ministries, said the layettes are a wonderful incentive for the single mothers, and in some instances, fathers, who have nothing. Sr. Suzanne credits St. Martha’s Baby Project for the excellent completion rate among clients taking their prenatal classes."

St. Martha’s Baby Project has many dedicated volunteers who knit, crochet, sew, and stuff toy animals, not only for the layettes, but for their traveling boutique as well.

"We all work at whatever we do best with a great sense of joy," said LaValle. "Volunteers also keep me informed of where I can buy materials and items we need at a considerable savings.

If you would like to be involved with St. Martha’s Baby Project or donate supplies for the layettes, call Eileen LaValle at (801) 943-9605.