*Illustration above by and used with permission from Guady Ramon. I love her portraits of motherhood.
Over the past few years, I have donated gently-used baby gear and clothing to the Good+ Foundation, an incredible non-profit I have mentioned many times in the past that provides basic essentials, critical gear, and programmatic resources to new parents who are caring for their babies during times of great uncertainty. Owing to COVID precautions, the Foundation has not been accepting pre-used items, so I increased my financial donations to the organization, joined their Friends of Good+ group, and also started to give away my children’s outgrown items myself on Craigslist. I was, frankly, humbled by the flood of emails I received every time I posted a new bag of children’s clothing and gear — proof that there are many parents in desperate need of essentials for their children, especially while confronting this pandemic.
My heart absolutely breaks at the thought of Juana, the young mother who came by my building in search of pre-loved footies and swaddles for her two-month-old daughter. After she picked them up, she wrote to me: “Will you always put things on the side for my daughter when your baby outgrows?”
Today is Giving Tuesday, a day designated to remind us to give our voices, time, money, goods, and/or advocacy to support communities and causes that matter to us. This year, I am focusing on the Good+ Foundation in honor of Juana and the many other parents like her navigating new parenthood amidst the intensity and anxiety of COVID. Thanks to a generous Good+Foundation Board member, all donations made today (December 1st) will be matched 1:1, up to $50,000.