I am so pleased with how the Community Baby Shower turned out! We had the opportunity to not only meet these parents where they are, but we gained even stronger partnerships with so many organizations in our community doing great work. Collaboration in a central location, at a time that is convenient, allowed us to address barriers that parents-to-be often face, such as transportation and childcare.

The Community Baby Shower, had 21 vendors that provided information as well as valuable resources for parents. There were an estimated about 100 folks coming through, including parents-to-be, caregivers and their children, and other support people.

Ball State provided goodie bags that included outlet safety covers, infant spoons, burp cloths, and baby books. The College of Health also purchased a car seat, diaper bag, and stroller to give away. Our vendors generously provided six additional raffle prizes, including diaper bags, parent self-care sets, a pack-n-play, another stroller, a baby bathtub, and more. The Ross Community Center generously provided space for the event and continues to be a valued partner in our mission to serve our community.

The goal of this event was to bring together resources under one roof so parents-to-could access everything they needed, from medical services to diapers to nutrition and physical activity resources. We wanted to share not only what BSU College of Health is doing, but all the wonderful work of our community partners.

The community baby shower is an event the College of Health will continue to provide on a regular basis in different locations around East Central Indiana. We look forward to continued partnership to make this happen!