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United Way of Greater Nashua brings hope to new parents with event

By Mathew Plamondon - Staff Writer | May 10, 2019

NASHUA – Those new to parenting, whether they are rich or poor, might have questions on how to deal with the addition of a baby to their family. These could include, how to deal with a newborn who is constantly crying or getting sick, as well as how to get the proper items needed to take care of the child.

Those in the community who are struggling with the prospect of raising a newborn and having a low income may feel all the more worried. With their third annual Community Baby Shower, officials with the Untied Way of Greater Nashua hope to ease some of those concerns.

The event, set for 3-7 p.m. May 23 at Nashua Community College, will cater to new or soon-to-be low-income parents referred to the United Way through their partnering agencies, including Marguerite’s Place, the Adult Learning Center and the Front Door Agency.

“The basic idea is to give access to info and resources, and also material items, to low-income expecting new moms and dads,” United Way President Mike Apfelberg said. “It’s really by referral only and it’s usually through partnering agencies who deal with low income.”

While the organization has once again been able to fill almost all of their volunteer needs for the event, the United Way is still looking for donations of items for the new parents.

Items such as new or gently used strollers, baby clothes and other items that are in good condition, as well as new cribs and car seats, are among items a new parent might need.

Apfelberg said more expensive items such as the cribs and the car seats are a struggle to get, and he hopes the community might be able to help with these through donations.

“We try to have people donate new things or really good condition used things” he said of what organizers hope to distribute. “Generally, the rule of thumb here would be if you’re comfortable giving it to your own child, then that would be OK.”

During the event, information tables will be set up by organizations throughout the community who will be sharing information and resources available to parents struggling with low incomes while supporting a child.

Apfelberg’s hope is that those invited will spend a little time at each and every one of the tables.

“I kind of looking it like, when me and my wife had our daughter, and you wake up one day with a baby and you think you know everything,” Apfelberg said. “Then, you realize you don’t and you’re are asking, what does it mean when things start to happen to my baby? When they start to cry and they start to throw up.”

“These are things you don’t really know when you first have a baby,” he continued. “It doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor.”

Also during the event, participants will be able to share a meal with the organizers, sponsors and volunteers with food provided from different sponsors from Greater Nashua. The shower is also receiving food from Alvirne High School, whose students of culinary arts will be volunteering to help with the meal.

“So everybody who participates in the baby shower gets to break bread together,” Apfelberg said.

“We love this event. It’s one where you can really see making a difference in the community,” he said, “and the people who come really appreciate it and their family really benefits from it.”

Mathew Plamondon can be reached at 594-1244, or at mplamondon@nashuatelegraph.com.

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