WORCESTER — Every outreach program has its own story and this is a heartwarming one.
Marie's Mission, a diaper bank outreach program named after an infant girl who was stillbirth seven years ago, was launched in 2015.
“When this started, I was obviously in a place that no parent should ever have to be,” said Sarah Galvin, Marie’s mother and the founder of Marie’s Mission. “When I lost my daughter, there were a lot of questions and a lot questioning my fate even.”
But this did not stop Galvin from getting on with her life. She turned the grief into action, spreading the love to area communities by distributing diaper packages to families in need.
“It was difficult at first to even walk back in, but it has brought me to a place (where) I feel that sense of community and fellowship, and I have the love and support and the parishes here,” Galvin said. “And I know that they remember her.”
Marie’s Mission is a Ministry of St. Michael’s on the Heights Episcopal Church. Their goal is to ensure that families in need have an adequate supply of diapers for their infants and toddlers, and to provide resources that support healthy childhood development.
Galvin pointed out that diapers are not covered by any federal or state “safety net” programs, which aim to protect low-income Americans from poverty and hardship, such as WIC (the federal nutrition grant program for women, infants and children).
Also, infants usually use up to eight to 10 diapers per day, and diapers can be expensive depending on the size and where they are purchased, she said.
In 2020, Marrie's Mission gave out 1,946 packages of diapers with package including about 30 diapers and a package of wipes. They served 75 families on average per month.
After the outbreak of the pandemic, Galvin said the biggest adjustment was going from their hospitality and fellowship oriented distributions to only walk-ins or drive-throughs depending on the changing safety precautions.
Along with distribution events, a literacy program was also included, but it is now replaced by providing the books, writing pads and printed materials in the diaper packages.
"In the past, we had space for people to sit for coffee and a snack as well as a reading corner, arts and crafts table and a play area," Galvin said. "Our plan is to get back to that type of distribution as soon as it's safe to do so."
Thanks to the support from various entities around the Worcester community, Marie's Mission has been able to give out thousands of diaper packages.
During the past year, they received grants from the Episcopal City Ministry and a Worcester Together COVID relief grant. Recently they have also received a grant from Greater Worcester Community Foundation for 2021. Other entities that had supported them in the past included Fallon Health and St. Vincent’s Hospital.
In order to expand and serve more communities, in addition to the first distribution sites in Tatro Hall, Galvin said they are planning to open a second distribution site at St. Mark’s Church in South Worcester this year. She hopes to have additional sites as well, having the local diaper bank providing diapers to other agencies and diaper pantries in the future.
The monthly diaper distribution event is held on the third Saturday of each month in Tatro Hall, located behind St. Michael’s on the Heights Episcopal Church at 340 Burncoat St., from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The next event will be on Feb. 20.
For more information, contact admin@mariesmission.org or visit https://mariesmission.org/.
The Link LonkFebruary 17, 2021 at 05:06PM
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Nonprofit helps pamper babies: After loss of daughter, Marie's Mission founder heals by giving diapers to families in need - Worcester Telegram
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