Spring Baby Gear Drive Supports Local Families

Shore Country Day School's spring "United in Service" event on April 1 brought together parents, children, and faculty to support local community members in need.

Participants created hundreds of "get-well" cards for Beverly Hospital, crafted dozens of "no-sew" blankets for Community Giving Tree, and sorted items donated in Shore's month-long baby gear drive to support the Boston non-profit Cradles to Crayons, which assists area children from birth to age 12 by providing essential items they need to thrive at home and school.

The drive asked families to donate new baby hygiene and feeding items, bedding, books and school supplies, and gently used essentials such as baby seats and strollers.

"It was great to see the community so motivated to support this cause," said faculty coordinator Doug Lucey. "The results were impressive."

Lucey said that families donated over 5,000 diapers and wipes, hundreds of pounds of hygiene products and clothing, several strollers, car seats, carriers, and many other items. During the United in Service event, families sorted and packaged items for delivery to Cradles to Crayons.

According to the organization's Community Engagement Coordinator Olivia Davis Wilson, since it was founded in 2002 Cradles to Crayons has assisted 74,760 Massachusetts children by providing them with essential items.

"The cause is an important one," said Davis Wilson, "because there are over 300,000 families in Massachusetts living in low-income situations. Our goal is to help the most vulnerable part of that population, which is kids," she said.