Imagine you are having a child. Imagine you are barely making enough money to keep yourself afloat, let alone the tiny person soon entering your life. You have no crib, baby clothes, diapers or any of the essentials a baby needs.
Unfortunately, this is a reality for many expecting parents in the Seattle area as well as parents who already have children. With costs of raising a child in a single parent home estimated at $30,023 per year, for some, it is nearly impossible to make ends meet.
Fourteen years ago, a group of Magnolia mothers got together and began collecting items from the community for babies and young children alike. Magnolia Moms, now a thriving volunteer organization based out of Magnolia's Our Lady Fatima parish, works year-round to help families in need.
The organization primarily collects and re-distributes baby items to mothers in need. They work with five Seattle area charities - Ballard Maternity, St. Mary's food bank, Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, Providence Hospitality House and Sacred Heart Shelter - to locate struggling families and provide as much as they can. They also occasionally work directly through the church as well as Magnolia Helpline.
Magnolia Moms operates out of a small room called "Crib Corner" in the basement of the church. Once donations are collected, items are organized for distribution to families. Donations are collected continuously, and then a team from Magnolia Moms contacts the charities who request items and a runner from Magnolia Moms is off to deliver the items.
"We never have problems collecting clothing and baby supplies, but we never have enough diapers," said Colleen Stromatt, co-chair for Magnolia Moms.
Operating on a yearly budget of $3,000, Magnolia Moms relies extensively on the community for donations.
"We used to have a big surplus, so we've been working out of that, but it's beginning to dwindle," said Stromatt, who has been with Magnolia Moms for three years. "We get really creative with what we have and we are always recycling what's given to us."
Catholic Community Services has been working closely with Magnolia Moms for years.
"Magnolia Moms are great, absolutely wonderful, and without them many of my clients would not have the necessary items they need for their babies," said Karen Holloway, who is with Catholic Community Service pregnancy support. "We'd be sunk without them."
In addition to Crib Corner, Magnolia Moms also organizes three other programs that take place throughout the year. Coming up in August is the second annual backpack program. Magnolia Moms are currently collecting back to school items to fill 50 or 60 backpacks that they will donate to Seattle area children.
"We really want kids to have what they need to go back to school," Stromatt said. "We'd like to be able to provide a new school outfit as well because it's always fun to go back to school with something new on."
Magnolia Moms also organizes a coat drive in the winter and an Easter basket program in the spring. They fill the Easter baskets with everything from toys and candy to toothbrushes and toothpaste.
"In addition to giving the kids fun things, we try to provide the mothers with the essentials that they may need as well," Stromatt said.
Along with collecting donations, Magnolia Moms holds three fundraisers every year to help raise money for their programs. A pancake breakfast and Krispy Kreme doughnut sale take place in the spring, and they also hold a trunk show in the fall.
While Magnolia Moms is dedicated to helping struggling families and mothers, it is also a support group for all Magnolia mothers. A non-denominational group, they hold monthly meetings at the church for members and guests, providing a forum in which mothers can discuss issues.
"We are a great resource within the community," Stromatt said. "And it's a great way for new moms to meet people."
Membership in Magnolia Moms is $30 a year, and is open to everyone.
Donations to Magnolia Moms may be left in the marked boxes in the alcove at the south end of Our Lady of Fatima, 3218 W. Barrett St. Magnolia Moms primarily needs things for children from infancy to age 8, including food, diapers and back-to-school supplies.[[In-content Ad]]
