Mother’s Receiving Loved Twice Boxes at Children’s Hospital Oakland Re-Donate to Disadvantaged Babies
Rashawnda Lee, Mental Health Family Partner at Children’s Hospital Oakland shares an inspiring story of mother’s who, despite having so little, pay it forward. The mothers Rashawnda delivers Loved Twice wardrobe-in-a-box donations to are facing heartbreaking realities – homelessness, unemployment, addiction, abuse and violence. “We serve families that are very low income… you name the challenge and we have families dealing with it.” Yet even though their life is full of struggle and adversity, the mothers at Children’s Hospital Oakland have started their own baby clothing recycling.
[pull]“Before Loved Twice this was a resource we were not able to provide and now, we are not only providing Loved Twice boxes, but the seed was planted and now it’s growing.”[/pull]
Once their babies outgrow them, recipients of Loved Twice baby clothes have started donating the clothes back to the hospital for new mothers. Without knowing one another, mothers want to help other new moms leave the hospital with dignity and supplies to keep their babies warm and healthy for their first year.
Rashawnda sees first-hand the impact of Loved Twice donations. “Before Loved Twice this was a resource we were not able to provide and now, we are not only providing Loved Twice boxes, but the seed was planted and now it’s growing. The families are working together to help one another, even though they are complete strangers – which is so important in this community that faces so many tragedies and crises every day.”
When asked what she would tell reader’s considering a donation, she asked that we imagine a different reality. “What if you didn’t have the means to provide for your children – the very basic necessities? What would that mean? Imagine what it means to these parents? What would it feel like? Receiving these boxes is the biggest deal ever – the families wouldn’t otherwise be able to provide the clothes for their babies. They often can’t provide housing, let alone clothing. Because they have clothes for their baby, they can buy food or diapers or formula. The boxes are doing that for these families.”
If you would like to donate, visit our How To Help section of the website. Thank you Rashawnda for all that you do for families in need!
