Community Baby Shower, January 15, 2011

When a mom or dad runs out of money before their next check arrives (whether they are the working poor, on welfare, or going through a tough time for some other reason), they cannot explain this to their wee ones--babes on formula or still in diapers! James Street Ministry Baby Cupboard aims to help this specific group of people in the Wallaceburg area. Ask anyone in Wallaceburg and they will tell you about the prosperity in this community just a few short years ago. However, companies closed out, taking jobs elsewhere, and the community was hard hit with unemployment as never before! The hardworking people in Wallaceburg don't like this situation, and families who are most affected are those with children, including babies. If I've heard it once, I've heard it dozens of times--there just isn't enough money in many households to make it from payday to payday. When the last few dollars are almost gone, and there is not enough left to buy baby formula and diapers, parents must feel very desperate indeed. The James Street Ministry Baby Cupboard will host a Community Baby Shower on January 15, 2011. Please come and help us to help others!  Here are some ways you can help:

Donate: Gifts of Diapers, Powdered Baby Formula, Baby Cereal (Pablum) and Infant Baby Food.

Speak to JSM folks about volunteering: As JSM continues its mission, there will be more tasks than hands to complete the tasks, and we will need all the help we can get! Remember, this is a community endeavour!

Become engaged in a Fundraising activity for the Baby Cupboard: There will be numerous chances to help us to help others!

Bring your workplace onboard as a sponsor of the JSM Baby Cupboard: Most workplaces love to be involved in helping the community. Talk to others at work!

Donate gifts of cash: Perhaps you will consider to give a quarterly or bi-annual gift to the Baby Cupboard!

Donate a door prize for the Community Baby Shower, or some other event geared to raising funds or supplies for the Baby Cupboard!

Thanks! Maggie

Wallaceburg and area Community Baby Shower

James Street Ministry will sponsor a Community Baby Shower, which will be held at Steinhoff Hall at St. James Anglican Church, Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 1pm

This Baby Shower will allow members of the community to contribute to the JSM Baby Cupboard and help needy babies in Wallaceburg and area!

Items to bring to the Community Baby Shower include: Diapers, Powdered Baby Formula, Baby Cereal (Pablum) and Infant Baby Food.

The James Street Ministry Cabinet will provide sweet treats, tea, and coffee, and there will be music and fun!

James Street Ministry realizes that Wallaceburg is made up of caring people who stick together in reaching out to those in need!

See You There on January 15th!

Why a Baby Cupboard

Poor is poor!

Many people believe that child poverty is only seen in developing nations, yet Canada, one of the richest countries in the world, has some one and a half million children living in poverty.  The most severely affected are those that live in single parent homes and those of aboriginal heritage. Some 80% of single mothers with children under the age of 7 live in poverty. Not only are these children poor, but they are caught up in a cycle of poverty that is almost impossible to escape. Those seeking help at food banks and going without often come from the working poor and those on welfare.

When a poor family has one or more babies using diapers and formula, this additional cost can be overwhelming. Diapers are expensive. Most babies go through 8-12 diapers per day in their first few weeks and months of life, with an average cost that can exceed $100 a month while the baby is small. Babies stay in diapers, on average, for more than two years, and many families have two or even three babies using diapers at the same time, with a cost of about $2,000 per child until they are toilet trained! Formula is also expensive, and the cost of formula feeding a baby with formula for a year is in the vicinity of  $1,000. Many poor families run out of formula or diapers or both before their check comes at the last of the month. This can be a frightening experience for the caretaker, and a very uncomfortable and risky one for the baby. JSM is conscious of the needs in the community, and the Baby Cupboard is an effort to respond to these parents when they are experiencing this one particular crisis.