OH BABY!

Every Mother’s Day, we take a beat and thank the mothers in our lives for all their hard work and dedication in their role as a mom. It truly takes a village to raise a child, but fortunately for the moms of the Albany Diocese, they have a good village in their corner.

The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Albany JFK Division 1 recently hosted their annual baby shower to benefit Catholic Charities Community Maternity Services. The shower was held last month at the Hibernian Hall (175 Ontario St.) as a benefit to CMS and local mothers the program serves.

“It was lovely and well attended,” said Cecilia Walsh, LAOH press and publicity chair. “We’re happy to do it and it grows a little bit every year.”

"This generosity allows us to provide our families with many of the things their children need but that they often struggle to pay for or cannot afford at all," said Anne Marie Couser, J.D, Director of Special Projects for Community Maternity Services.

Members of LAOH have been collecting donations all year for CMS that would support young mothers and their children, such as personal care items for the moms or diapers, wipes and baby clothing. In the spring, LAOH hosts a “baby shower” for CMS staff where all the donations are displayed and the groups share a meal.

“We decorate the hall and invite CMS to come like you would a traditional shower with snacks and food and nice decorations,” Walsh said. At the end of the shower, CMS brings all the donated items back to their location on North Main Avenue.

Some of the CMS staff use the donation items to throw clients their own baby showers: “A lot of (young moms) don’t have a team or family or friends who would give a traditional shower, so they make sure the moms are given that celebration with the things that are donated,” said Walsh.

 "We are able to create unique gift baskets for our moms-to-be that include baby basics and necessities (diapers, wipes, baby bottles, pacifiers etc.) beautiful infant outfits, handmade blankets, and extra clothing for their infants as they grow," sCouser said. "These baskets make our mothers feel special and they are always grateful to receive nice things for their babies, especially new clothing and accessories that are beyond their means."

The event is an annual highlight for the LAOH, said Walsh, and they look forward to continuing the partnership with CMS.

“It fits our mission perfectly,” Walsh added. “We do friendship, unity, Christian charity, and that is the epitome of helping people in need and making sure moms and babies are supported in our community. We’re honored to do it, and we are so privileged to be able to provide and support in any way we can.”