She is not Alone

June 13, 2025

Dear friends,

I remember every detail of the baby shower for my first born. I was living far away from home, but I had developed a close set of friends who showered me with love and gifts. It was long enough ago that much of the fancy equipment of today that are ‘essentials’ weren’t even invented, but still – it was a wealth of baby items that made life so much easier for that first year.

Diapers, new and hand-me-down clothes, books and more books, a restored high chair, a bathtub for safe bathing, and even a stroller. One of them crocheted a beautiful blue and green blanket. I could not believe the generosity of my friends.

For Mother’s Day this year, we launched the Hope in Every Bundle campaign. Our goal was to “shower” 75 mothers with essentials for their new babies. This idea was started in 2024 by Mary Carolyn Gatzke, who gathered her friends and donated ten bundles for newborns, beautifully and thoughtfully composed of essentials for new babies.

Of the 200+ families we serve each year in our homeless services programs at Center for Transforming Lives, approximately 75 have a new baby. These babies are often at higher risk for health complications, so the Bundles includes care essentials such as thermometers. Of the health complications, the most serious is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) because mothers don’t always have separate place for baby to sleep, so our Bundles includes a bassinet. Each item is purposely chosen based on needs.

We received $8,000 in monetary donations, 10 Full Bundles from an anonymous donor and 40 smaller newborn baskets from the generous team at Alcon this year. We're excited for supporters to volunteer their time in our new Donation and Distribution Center to put together the Bundles so they are ready for the mothers throughout the year. As one mother said, “My daughter goes through 7 to 8 diapers a day - so the baby basket is really going to come in handy. I am very grateful for this gift!"

I remember my feelings from all those years ago, as I looked around the room. I knew that I would not go through the coming months alone. I’d have a support system. I’d have what I needed to take care of my baby. Your support is doing exactly that for these new moms. Making sure she is not alone.

Thank you!

Carol Klocek
Chief Executive Officer