Health
Supporting at-risk families and their newborn babies
Aug 5, 2020
26 years ago, Shannon Stewart, president of Basically Babies, and a group of young mothers recognized that as they started to grow their families, they were grateful for the abundance of newborn items gifted to them that could mean so much more for new mothers who may not have access to this support. This realization led to the creation of Basically Babies in Edmonton, where they support families who are in dire circumstances with layettes filled with a year’s worth of newborn necessities, and help lessen their load while trying to get their feet on the ground.
Basically Babies’ resourceful team has had to get creative with how they operate during COVID-19 as they continued to deliver the layettes throughout the pandemic. As they cannot currently accept physical donations from the public so as to avoid the transmission of the virus, their inventory has been depleted by 70%, while financial donations have also declined by 86%. However, with the help of a TELUS Friendly Future Foundation grant, all part time staff and board members came together to purchase supplies and create over 300 layettes within 16 weeks to ensure that they could continue making a remarkable impact in their community.
This grant also helped to allow Basically Babies to work towards their expansion into other regions such as Calgary, where they are beginning to see a greater need for their service in light of COVID-19. They have also acquired a small warehouse to house inventory products for the layettes, as well as a large cargo van that facilitates curb-side deliveries to their supported families.
“The Telus Friendly Future Foundation Grant was instrumental in propelling our Calgary operations forward, with a significant emphasis being placed on funding for sufficient warehousing of baby supplies, transport of baby supplies and finished layettes between Edmonton and Calgary to support infants born into extreme need families, as well as funding for baby supplies included in the layettes that are not available in quantities required on a fully-donated basis."
"This funding came at a critical time in our newer Calgary operation and is supporting our journey into meeting the outfitting needs of needy infants in the greater Calgary area more fully, as we have for 26 years in the greater Edmonton area.” -- Shannon Stewart, President of Basically Babies
The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is proud to support Basically Babies and their incredible community initiative so that they can continue touching the lives of families in need. By helping charities such as Basically Babies, we are working to ensure a healthier future for all and ensure nobody is left behind.
Meet the author
The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation
In partnership with Basically Babies
Committed to helping build brighter futures for kids through technology, health and educational programs.
